


Starting Again

by BethGreeneSurvived



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Character Death, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 11:36:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 37,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5373890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BethGreeneSurvived/pseuds/BethGreeneSurvived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day Beth Greene decided she wanted to live was the day she grabbed hold of her life and never wanted to let go. Now, it's just the world surrounding her that she has to fight against.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Old Vs. New

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first ever piece of my writing I have ever put out here. I've never written fanfiction before, usually all my writings are private, but I love the character of Beth Greene. Also this fic will be focusing on Beth/Daryl but Beth is my main focus here, her story, her life (which Daryl plays and important part in) so yeah, slow build fic. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Death. That's all there is. There are milky eyes with all life gone from them. Hands, grasping for flesh. Any flesh. No one is safe. Their nails, cracked and caked in blood. Teeth that snap, now blackened from lack of care, filled with the insides of the latest meal. Limbs missing, not that they're needed anymore. The only means for them is the living. The living to be turned like them. They are dragging her under, turning her with them. Her family's gone, their milky eyes staring at her. No recognition of who they once were. Death has taken them. Now, it's come for her too.

\---------

Beth sits up in her bed, she can feel the sweat covering her body. She kicks her covers to the end of the bed, remembering where she is. What she did. A sharp pain pings across her wrist, stinging, an indicator of choices. Her decision, to live, ultimately. She knows she could have saved herself and awful death from being torn apart to shreds at the hands of the dead. Those _things_ like her mother. A life of heartache that she knew was to come. But she remains here. Her business with the world unfinished. When she took that first shard to her wrist she knew; knew that she couldn't die, at least not yet. She remembers the feeling of the cool mirror glass in her hands. The life that bloomed from within her, the need to remain here swelled inside of her. Her choice. Not one that could be made by Maggie, or her father, or even Jimmy... Just her.

It's still dark outside when she decides to finally leave the confinements of her room. Closing her door as soft as she can behind her, she practically tip-toes down the stairs; less the need to want to wake her family. The back door creaks as she opens it and takes the first couple of steps outside.

Breathing in the fresh air, she revels in the feeling of the breeze on her face. The fact that she has not been outside for days just brings tears to form in her eyes. This is the life she chose. The home, the people. Her. She will _Survive_ and she will **Live**. Beth puts her hands through the grass around the stairs, it's grown long without the usual care the farm has been accustomed to. The end of the world has not only changed her but her home. Ripping out the grass from the ground, she scatters them around her feet. It reminds her of when Shawn and her were younger and they would cover Maggie in the grassy leaves. Maggie would yell at them and they would laugh. But that's not how it is now, what once was could never be the same. A battle between the two lives. Old home vs. new home. New life vs. Old life.

A sound startles her to her left and she sees the members of the camp that have taken up residence in her home. Invaders or imposters? Where would her life be without them? It's Lori and the other police officer she notices. Shane, is the officer's name, she recalls. Beth slinks back into the darkness, avoiding hearing the conflict going on in the others lives. She walks until she reaches the tree where she loved to play her guitar. It's sad how music would not be of help to her now. Another loss she has given up. _Old_ life vs. _new_ life.

Sitting down under the shade she chooses to see the beauty of life, a life that can begin anew before her. The day starting again. Just as Beth chose to do. She was starting again, just like a new day. The sunrise brings light. Roosters and chickens, ready for the day to start. What does she bring to the new day? Beth brings her life.

She sees the extra campers starting their day, ready to bring their problems into her home. Beth feels bitter towards them. It's not really the group's fault, Beth knows. But if it wasn't for Rick and his people, things would be different. She hears Maggie screaming her name and she know her peace is done. Ready to go ahead with the day under her sister's watchful eye. Maybe if she was a part of Ricks group she would have peace and quiet. Maybe she would be stronger. Maybe she would be dead. Maybe. Now all she knows is the comparisons of her life.

Old vs. New.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know Daryl isn't in it yet but soon. Also like I said Beth focus so I wanted her to take main priority first. Now I don't know 100% where I'm going with this fic but it will be kinda similar to canon relating to the areas where the characters have been (like the prison). Anyway. Let me know what you think!


	2. Acquaintances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the next chapter. Now, this won't be taking the same form as canon, but it will be quite similar. Also, I really feel like Beth should have had more interactions with Andrea, I mean she did play an important role in everything that happened to her. Also, this story will mention Beth's attempt at suicide (not in so much detail but it's referenced) so if that is something you're not comfortable with, please take care when reading.  
> Enjoy!

 

The women were allowed to come in, to enter her house without being invited, Beth noticed. The men, however, were particularly wary of coming inside, excluding the presumed leader Rick. She knew what Glenn and Maggie were up to of course, but that didn't mean he liked to enter the house. Particularly with the constant presence of her father. Shane also hated it here, but she was beginning to think he hated most things. The other male of the group, Daryl, was also one of these people. He was skittish around her family, polite (as Daryl can be), and respected her father's farm. But still. Beth noticed he would rather be outside. She supposed she had gotten to know some of the members of the camp. The women mostly and the young boy Carl, he was quite funny when he thought she needed cheering up. Maybe she didn't know them as friends, not yet, but perhaps as acquaintances.

She's been getting back on her feet, or as much as Maggie will allow her. Back to helping prepare for family meals, although the denied access to the knives was really bringing a blow to her cooking skills. Now she was preparing sandwiches for the residents of the farm. Every single one of them.

"Looking good Beth, now you get the honor of findin' everyone and giving them to 'em." Maggie joked, elbowing her sister in the ribs.

"Oh joy." Beth sighed back. For the past couple of times, every time Maggie asked her to do chores or something outside Beth would lie. Pretend she was less than pleased to be out there. But was she ecstatic. The outside world was never so appealing than when you've been trapped inside all day long. Slowly, her Dad and Maggie had been allowing her to go outside more, away from their watch, getting back into simple chores. Collecting eggs that the chickens laid, brushing horses, making food. It was nice, things that were utterly boring and repetitive before, Beth had managed to breathe new life into the work. Lifting up the large plate of sandwiches for the group, she sets ahead for the task of distributing them.

She found Carl first, always finding places to hide from his mother. Skirting around her back porch, eyes peeled for possible threats that a boy his age shouldn't have to worry about. Seeing the plate being placed before him, he took extra care to take two sandwiches, both Peanut Butter & Jelly. Giving her a small smile at his choices he mumbled a thank you around his food, then she set off once more.

Lori, Andrea and, Carol were more polite in their takings, though both women, with the exception of Andrea, also were giving her side glances as if she were glass and they were afraid to break her. Andrea even joined her for a small time while she set upon finding the rest of the group.

"I swear, living off nothing much but canned rations for a while really brings perspective to just how delicious PB&J can be", Andrea stated. Beth laughed, although secretly hoping she would never have to face the challenges that Andrea's group had been through.

"What's it like out there? No one really lets me know. I mean... you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but.." Beth hesitated, she'd heard a limited amount of stories about life out there. Mostly they were limited by the shielding from her family, but she wanted to know what one day she might have to face. Andrea paused, taking care to described just what she lived through

"It's scary at first. The dead just... getting up again. Walking like nothing's wrong with them. At first, you might not even notice, you know, until they end up eating you" she tries to joke but Beth sees a sadness in her expression.

"My sister," Andrea continues, "was brave at the start, braver than me, we found this group and stuck with it. Maybe if we hadn't... She's gone now, I wished I had the courage to end it before she turned. But for a while, I didn't believe it would happen to her. It couldn't. Then she was gone, I wanted to be gone, and then we were on the move. Not much really happened before we came here. Walkers of course. Lots of 'em, we saw a CDC blow up." Andrea stops talking at the expression on Beth's face, then laughs.

"What? It's true. Blew up, we left it, ate food that wasn't as good as this, more walkers, then Carl was shot," She tops for a second, then sighs, "The little girl, Sophia, she was lovely. Carol's daughter, Carol was a good mother but her husband was an awful father to Sophia. When we lost her I just couldn't believe it. Adults dying, that I get, but children, they just seem too innocent for this", she stops, "it's scary, but at the same time, it oddly makes me want to live even more." She stops when she's called by Shane.

"Time. It's really all it takes to adjust, you're strong so I know you will too." With those parting words and a smile, she leaves to go help the Shane with what he needed.

Beth continues on her chores, she finds him sitting on one of the old tree stumps, she remembers the tree fell down after a particularly bad storm. Daryl is cleaning and sharpening some of the knives. He looks up when he hears her approach.

"I'm just bringing lunch to everyone, hope you're hungry!" Beth feels uneasy for some reason around Daryl. He's their protector almost, but sometimes she thinks he sees right through them all. He grunts a response, looking back down to his work, she looks down at his arms, muscles defining with every movement. She blushes, thinking that he knew she was staring, that everyone knew. "Alright... Here's one, hope you like it".

He takes the sandwich out of her hands, 'Thanks' he says, although the look on his face makes it seem like it's even a strain to get them out.

Beth leaves him then to get back to his work, setting back to do her own. When she gets back inside she feels kind of weary, all the walking around and worried glances from everyone was tiring. However, being back up and around had improved her mood immensely. But she was getting back on track to her life, and baby steps, even though she hated it, seemed to be the key. The day continued on, the sun sets, they say grace, they laugh, talk. It almost seems normal for a while.

That is until Beth hears the first piercing terrified scream cut through the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this was alright, the pace will be moving quickly as I get more into the feeling of the story. Let me know what you think!


	3. Saying Goodbye, Not Farewell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group says goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, it's different from the show but I hope you like this version. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Beth's up before anyone can tell her stop. It's Maggie. Maggie's scream. Beth can't think, think of anything but getting to Maggie. The door slams open as she runs out. Voices shout her name, her father, Patricia, the others maybe. She doesn't know. Her only focus is on Maggie. Beth feels her feet pounding on the ground as she runs, a protective instinct taking over her body, forcing her faster. She can't lose anyone more. She _can't_ lose Maggie.

She sees it then. The body covering Maggie's, pinning her down, jaws open just trying to get a hint of her sister's flesh. Maggie's trying, trying her best to push it away from her. It's bigger than her in every way, with its whole body pressing down on her. Maggie's stuck.

She hears the voices shouting, her name, Maggie's name. She doesn't care. She bounds. Beth throws her whole weight into the side of the walker, Beth toppling off of Maggie, bringing the walker with her. It's next to her now, jaws open ready to move onto the next available meal. Her.

She's winded, laying on her side on the ground, but she's ready, ready for blood. No one will take her family from her again.

Then it's gone.

Beth's heaved up into someone's arms, pulled away from the walker. She hears the walkers groans stop, knowing it's dead now. She looks up to see who has got her, who took her from the walker before she could get to it.

It's Daryl. He's checking her over, eyes roaming her body. Hands grabbing her, checking her arms and hands for marks.

"Were you bit? Huh? Were you bit, girl?" He's almost yelling it, speaking it right in her face. Concern sounding in his voice. But she knows, all that he's been through out there, all he's lost. Every life lost is a blow. Even if you didn't know them.

"Yeah... Yes! No! I mean. I'm... I'm fine. I didn't get bit, I'm okay." She says, trying to speak while ignoring a pounding in her ears and the feeling of her heart racing. Adrenaline is still surging through her, although the thought of what she just did had slowly caught up with her. Part of her wished she killed the walker. The thought terrifies her.

She turns and see's Maggie in Glenn's arms, crying. Beth walks over to her sister. Maggie turns around and brings Beth into the strongest, crushing hug she has ever been in. Beth hugs back just as hard. "Beth... Bethy, you saved me. _Gosh_ \- Beth you actually-" Maggie breaks off then, sobbing into her sister's shoulder. Beth just cries along with her.

Then there's more yelling.

"Mom! Mom, over here! It's dale! Mom!" It's Carl. He's screaming. She's never heard him more terrified. As she gets closer she can see tears in his eyes.

"Carl!," Lori screams, "Carl, come here. I've got you. You're all right." She's hugging him tightly, taking him away from the scene. Beth understands why. Kids should never have to be exposed to this. Neither should she.

Dale's lying there, another walker had gotten to him, but she can see its body lying there. He could finish the walker but could not save himself. Beth can see now, what happened. Dale's stomach has been torn open. Flesh has been ripped from his body. Beth thinks she can see organs, maybe even intestines. She wants to leave.

This could have been Maggie.

He's moaning and groaning in pain. His breathing is so labored she can't distinguish between words and the breaths he is trying to take. Andrea is there in a flash, sobbing over his body, "Oh god, _no!_ Please." She's sobbing hard now. Andrea wants to comfort him but she can't even touch him. Blood is covering everything. She can see Rick holding a gun, ready to end Dale's misery. But he can't.

Beth tries to go over to Andrea, to console her but she's stopped. "Stay back," Daryl whispers, "You shouldn't have to watch this." He moves her back, pushing her from the scene in front of her. Shielding her from horrors that shouldn't be a part of her life.

But she looks, she needs to know what happens, what could happen. To her family, the group. Her.

She sees Daryl take the gun from Rick's hand and level it to Dale's head, "I'm sorry, Brother," She hears him say just before the gunshot goes off. The shot echoes across the farm. It feels like the vibrations are running through her. Tears slip slowly down her cheeks, but everything is silent. Daryl is still holding the gun near Dale's head.

She can't really see Dale anymore, but Beth sees his eyes. She had seen him stop breathing, then watched the light go from his eyes. Dale is dead.

Dead and gone.

\--------------------------

 

"I wanna have a funeral... A way to respect all those people we lost. Some we knew...others not so much. And... I want to say goodbye to Mamma. I want her to finally be at peace." Beth brings this up at a so-called 'meeting' they are having. Everyone's just really in her living room. It's quite cramped, but everyone's here, discussing the events of the night before. The group needed to be more prepared for the threats of the world. As Beth says these words she realizes, they are a group. All of them. There's not really 'Rick's group' or 'The Greene's farm' anymore. They are a group now, and they need to be stronger. But first, they need to respect the dead.

So a funeral is exactly what happens. The rest can wait, for now.

There's a lot of rocks at the grave-sites. This is what Beth notices first. They outline the graves and seem to be a substitute for a headstone. Name's of the people they knew are carved into crosses above the graves, the others are unmarked. Beth gets some flowers for every grave. It's heartbreakingly sad.

She looks over at Maggie, over the other side of the graves. She's gripping Glenn's hands as tight as she humanly can. Glenn doesn't seem to mind.

Beth remembers Maggie has been through this once before. One mother gone, now another. Maggie is stronger than Beth ever could be. Her heart breaks for her sister in that moment. Beth has never felt this much love and heartbreak at the same time. Her father says a few words for the people they lost, it is the best funeral service they can do for the dead. It might not be the best but they all deserve one. Then he says some more personal words for her mamma, and she cries. Her mother is finally at rest.

He hands the service job over for someone else to speak for Dale. So many people cared for him. Andrea tries to crack a joke. Everyone's laugh sounds sad and watery.

She catches Daryl's eye, he standing next to her. He nods his head to her but doesn't say anymore. She thinks after last night, what he did must have hurt. Beth moves closer to him, close enough to touch. She doesn't however, touch him that is, but she hopes her presence will convey the words she doesn't know how to say.

It's sad and quiet, people are moving to continue with jobs for the say. Life continues on. She stays there though, just for a moment.

"Thanks," she hears Daryl whisper. It sounds rough like he can't say anymore. It's not audible for anyone else, just for her. She looks up at him and gives him a small smile.

They stand near enough to each other for a while longer, just content with each other presence.

" 'm sorry." Daryl says. Beth can tell he means it.

"I'm sorry too." Beth gives his hand a squeeze, then walks off to continue the day. Her life goes on, even though sometimes the ones you love cannot.

The people they lost are gone. But it's not farewell. They can always be remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, wasn't that different. But this is Beth centric so my re-writes of certain events are made because of this.  
> Much more of Daryl/Beth next chapter! 
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	4. Safety Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter!  
> Enjoy!

It's been two weeks since everything happened.

The group as a whole has been solidified. Beth has taken it upon herself to ensure that everyone knows they are welcome in their home. Although there have still been some issues in that department.

Ever since the funeral, Beth has been making it a priority to ensure that Daryl knows that he's just as welcome as everyone else in the house. At first, he had tended to shy away and withdraw from the group, while definitely putting some space between him and herself.

Daryl kept his distance however, Beth was pretty persistent in the pressing of his welcomeness. Inviting him (and the group, of course) to weekly family dinners, listening and making sure his opinions were heard at the 'meetings', one time she even just outright told him how important he is to the group. She had to admit that last one just ended up being embarrassing for the both of them. His cheeks were redder than the time Beth's friends convinced her to get a tan over the summer break, the 'tan' had just resulted in severe sunburn on her part. Beth just couldn't stop blushing for days after the encounter. It wasn't the best plan but she hoped it got through to him. She has become obsessed with caring for Daryl Dixon. Beth wished she could say the same for him.

If anything, Beth just caused Daryl to leave further from her. Nothing but curt nods and muttered, rushed words was all the interaction she got from him. She watched him now, helping Maggie with her stance, helping her make sure she got the headshot. She noticed his arms again, the way the muscles became more defined as he raised the gun, finger on the trigger.

Beth had to admit, maybe his importance to the group wasn't the only thing she had fixated on. He wasn't _that_ bad to look at either.

Andrea catches her looking at Daryl, she pretends to fan herself, then puts a hand to her head as if she was lightheaded just from the sight. Beth blushes but tries to give her a harsh look through her embarrassment. Andrea laughs and then goes to continue with her work duties. Beth guessed Andrea knew that she had sort of cared for Daryl, but it was just never brought up. She was thankful to Andrea for that.

Beth had grown significantly closer to all the members of the camp. Glenn was her favorite, maybe just because he was Maggie favorite. But still, he reminded her of a brother. Plus, it was also really fun to tell him embarrassing stories from when Maggie was younger. And then, in turn, get yelled at by Maggie. It reminded her of simpler times.

Andrea was her _unbiased_ favorite. She was cheeky and quick-witted, Beth admitted she kind of wish she was as confident as Andrea. Then there was Carol who was sweet and soft-spoken, but when she had a strong opinion about something, she noticed it seemed like a fire was sparked inside of her. She was going to be fierce.

Lori was a mother. Above all this was her priority. It might not have seemed like it the way Carl was always off somewhere, but she was a protector. Beth believed there wasn't much that she wouldn't do to protect her family. Rick was the leader. Nothing was more obvious in the group's dynamics. Shane was... a dick. Really overall that's how he could only be described. The triangle of conflict that surrounded these three tended to cause awkwardness whenever they were in the same room together. It was an odd situation.

And Daryl. Daryl was a hunter. Almost like Ricks second in command, even if the role was supposedly filled by Shane. Ever since everything with the walkers, Daryl has been teaching the not so experienced members of the group how to defend themselves. Using guns, knives, and techniques on how to fight and defend yourself.

Beth wanted to know, needed to know how to protect herself in a world like this, but Maggie was adamant that this would never happen. After Beth's 'heroic, yet reckless stunt', as Maggie liked to call it, she was more protective than ever. She still seemed to harbor the thought that Beth was safe now, inside a little bubble of Maggie's own making, that she was protected. From everything. Walkers included. She didn't seem to comprehend that just because they were on the farm it didn't make them invincible. The situation that happened should be the evidence to this fact. Her father, however, was certain that she would learn basic defense techniques and disagreed with Maggie at every turn.

The household had been tense over the last couple of days.

Maggie argued that Beth shouldn't have to go through this, her father agreed, but Beth was going through this, was a part of this dangerous and strange world, and protection was important right now. Maggie wasn't happy about the turn of events, so she stayed right out of the training altogether. Beth thought this was probably best, she was nervous enough without her sisters constant worrying.

Daryl would be teaching her. He would show her how to shoot a gun by just knocking some cans off a ledge. Pretty simple. She was equally parts thrilled and terrified, mostly because Daryl would be teaching her.

She met up with him at the groups camp outside. The pair set off, going to the outskirts of the farm, away from the others. The thought of being alone with Daryl excites her. She wonders exactly when she started feeling this way.

She turns to face Daryl, she's worried about if she'll be good at anything he teaches her. She's scared and his silence is starting to make her nervous.

"Thank you again, Daryl, for teaching me this," she says feeling the need to fill the silence with words

"Nothin' to thank me for," he says. "Your sister's stupid thinkin' that you ain't need protecting. If you expect to make it out there, you best know how to save yourself." He stops and grabs a handgun from a bag of weapons the group always seems to carry. Daryl doesn't say anything just hands it to her.

She looks at it, it's a weight in her hands, that's for sure. She wonders if she could ever use it on someone. Someone living. She shakes her head and turns to Daryl, raising an eyebrow as if to say, "What now?"

"You gotta take the safety off, girl." Daryl shows her how and Beth tries to remember the crucial point of this training. "Without that off, you ain't goin' to do much damage." He says.

"Point it at the cans over there. I wanna see how you'd go, first go an all that." Daryl continues, watching Beth to see what she'll do.

Beth holds the gun and points it up in the direction of the cans. One finger is poised on the trigger, her arms feel weirdly bent. She can already guess she's doing this wrong.

Daryl steps closer then, looking at her feet, "Move this one just a little," he taps her shoe with his booted foot, nudging it over to form what she presumes is a correct stance. "Now this one," he taps her arm, "needs to be like this," Daryl angles her arm until he's satisfied with her posture.

Beth gets ready to shoot. She feels Daryl step closer to her. She feels pressure on her back, Daryl has put his hand there, as if guiding her along. He looks at her then and says, "You got this, Girl".

She fires. It misses the can but not by much. The feeling is addicting. She can almost feel the blood surging through her veins, her heart beating wildly in her ribcage. She doesn't even wait for confirmation to shoot again, she just does. This time it's closer. On the fourth try she gets it, the can flying off its perch and onto the grass below.

"Yes! Did you see that? I guess I ain't that bad after all." She yells, elated that she actually got the target.

"Sure, now keep shootin', you gotta get all of 'em down," Daryl says back. A little smirk playing on his face. Beth does, she aims the gun, stance a little off until Daryl corrects it, and then shoots. She gets them all off, it takes a while, but she does. By now the adrenaline has worn off and her shoulder is starting to hurt from the first jarring shot.

"Think we can stop now, maybe get some knife practice with you tomorrow," Daryl says. Beth smiles back, handing the gun over to Daryl.

"Thanks again for this, Daryl. I know it ain't fun for you teachin' everyone this but, thanks." Beth states, hoping he knows how much this means to her.

"Ain't nothin' to it, it's either this or ya end up dead." He's trying to brush off her comment, but she can see the faintest him of red coloring his cheeks. It makes her smile wider. She touches his arm in a goodbye, lingering for just a moment, then heads back to her house feeling energized. She hopes the next session will be just as enjoyable.

\------------------------------------

They're getting ready for dinner, Beth's working on cutting the carrots for the stew. It's one of the weekly dinners and she intends to make sure she's seated next to a certain group member.

It's a calm evening. Maggie has settled down after hearing how well Beth had gone in practice. If Beth was completely honest, she would say Maggie was sort of feeling embarrassed about her whole ordeal. Maggie then made sure to thank Daryl profusely, making Daryl as uncomfortable as possible in the process.

Everything seems calm until she hears the door slam open.

Lori bursts in, worry etching the expression on her face, "It's Carl! I can't find Carl!" Once those words are out of her mouth everyone jumps into action. Carol goes to help Lori outside, Andrea, Glenn, and Maggie go to check the camp. Beth heads out the back porch, knowing Carl's hiding spots better than anyone. Going around the trees, pass the stump, she circles back up to the porch wondering where the boy had gotten to.

She sees them then, two tiny figures coming across the field of the farm. She can just make out the shape of the police hat on Carl's head. Feeling the worry leave her body, she goes to call out to the others. They are safe.

That is until she sees another sight that causes her entire body to freeze.

There's walkers, more walkers than she's ever seen in her life. The seem to spread across the whole field. They're following Rick and Carl, chasing the nearest meal. Beth has never seen so many walkers in one place. The farm will be overrun. It can't be stopped now.

The dead are approaching.

Coming to the farm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we're getting more into the Beth/Daryl things now, so yay! Also Beth and Andrea's friendship is so important to me.  
> Anyway, I hope you liked it.  
> Let me know what you think!


	5. Leaving Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group says goodbye to the farm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, things don't exactly follow the TV show but it's still quite similar.
> 
> Enjoy!

She thinks It might be a dream. A nightmare she has yet to wake up from. Beth's had those ever since this thing started. But when her barn goes up in flames, she thinks she just might be awake.

There's one thing Beth notices most of all, it sticks out above everything else, seeming to cut through a white noise of her own making.

It's the non-stop screaming.

Everyone just won't stop yelling. She feels oddly disconnected from the scene as if it were a part of a movie, and she was just watching the scene unfold before her. The walkers are here now, piling around the front of her home.

Her _home_.

Beth sees her father with a shotgun, hitting any walker he can manage. She sees Maggie. Safe. Getting in the nearest car with Glenn. But she won't, she's screaming Beth's name. _No, **Go** , Maggie,_ Beth thinks. Glenn practically pulls her into the car.

In the distance, she can see Rick and Carl making a run for their lives. Her heart starts racing when she loses sight of Andrea. She hopes she's safe. She's now running across the farm, to the safety of the cars. Patricia and Jimmy cover both sides of her. She sees Lori, grabbing Andrea and pulling her out of harm's way just in time before Andrea could have been bitten. Beth's running, running for her life, pulling Patricia along with her, seeing Jimmy shoot off walkers as they passed.

Then it happened.

Beth felt a tug on her arm as if Patricia was pulling her, pulling her back into the fray of walkers. It didn't take long to realize that wasn't the case. Especially with the screaming.

A walker had latched on to Patricia's neck, biting and pulling flesh and tendons from her skin. Blood sprayed everywhere. Then another walker managed to latch onto Patricia's arm, pulling chunks of flesh off with every bite. There was nothing Beth could do.

She was crying and screaming for Patricia but Lori pulled her from Patricia's grip. She sees Jimmy then, turning around hearing the screaming, only to miss the group of walkers come at him from behind.

"Jimmy!" Beth screams, but it's too late. She sees them descend on him, not missing any open flesh. Tearing chunks out of him, paying no mind to the screams of agony coming from his mouth.

Lori yanks her then, basically dragging Beth from the scene before her. They're both running now to the cars parked on the edge of her house. She hears a motorcycle engine roar in the distance, knowing Daryl is safe. Maggie's safe, Glenn's safe. They are _Safe._

She sees Rick and Carl, both covered in blood. Lori sees them as well but doesn't stop. Carl is safe with Rick.

They get to the blue car pulling open the doors. A walker grabs her just before she gets inside. She falls to the floor, screaming. She brings her foot up and slams the heel of her boot into the walkers face to protect herself. The walker stumbles back but still goes straight to her. A gunshot cracks overhead and the walker falls right on top of her, dead. It knocks the wind straight out of her lungs. She manages to heave the _thing_ off of her body and look up. She sees her father holding a shotgun, loading in the next round. He saved her life.

A walker stumbles behind him as he's fumbling to put the case into the gun. Her breath catches in her throat, until Rick appears behind him and shoots the walker down. Relief floods her body. Beth notices Rick and Carl pull her father to the other car. She sees tears in his eyes and knows.

They both just lost their home.

Beth gets in the car and Lori speeds out of the drive, knocking walkers as she goes. Beth remembers.

"Wait! What about Andrea? We can't leave her there!" Beth turns around and looks on the outside, all that can be seen is the dead and fire. It's all gone. They are leaving the farm now. Leaving Home.

"I... I lost her. I came to get you and when I turned back she was gone. I thought she might have been here, waiting. But..." Lori trails off, tears falling from her eyes, thinking the same thing as Beth. Andrea's gone.

Beth cries then, it's the next day when she finally stops.

\-------------------------------------

The next day is when she sees the remainder of the group again. Lori suggested going somewhere when the group established before they knew about the farm. Out near the highway.

The group is there already, waiting for others to turn up. Maggie and Glenn, Rick, Carl and her Father, Carol and, Daryl. Lori slams on the brakes of the car and put the car in park when she sees them. She throws open the door and runs to her son. Beth does the same with her family. There's a lot of tears.

They're all standing around a car with rations on it. It was for Carol's daughter, Sophia, the girl who came out of the barn. Now they all just stand there, what remains of the group who are still alive. Beth thinks of the lives they lost; Patricia, who she's known for years, Shane's gone, Jimmy, her ex-boyfriend who she now feels a ping of remorse for breaking up with and, Andrea. She feels tears forming in her eyes at the thought of her. Last Andrea was seen was with Lori, then they got separated when Lori came to get Beth. It's her fault, Andrea's death is on her head. She turns from the group, trying to hide her tears from everyone. She hears people in the distance making plans for where to go next. The highway makes them exposed to threats of the world, it's not safe out here. _But where is_ , Beth thinks.

The farm had been a secure and vast setting, secluded from city life. Yet here they were. Beth ripped from the only home she's ever known. The farm was taken from them, overrun with the dead. They were evicted from their own home against their will. Beth slides down the side of one of the cars lining the highway, drawing her knees close to her chest. Waiting before they have to leave, find somewhere safer, more sheltered. It's hours before they are finally off, packing up and ready to go.

Beth clings to her family the whole time.

\-----------------------

The group sleeps. They found a safe area just off of the highway. The group exhausted from the night before, where quite happy to settle into sleep. But sleep is not calling Beth. Not tonight.

She gets up from her sleeping position near the edge of camp, her mind is racing, remembering the horrors of the night before. Whenever she closes her eyes all she can picture was the flesh being torn from Jimmy and Patricia's bodies. Beth doesn't want to think about what happened to Andrea.

She sees Daryl, he's sitting against a tree on the outskirts of the makeshift camp they are currently at. He volunteered to be on the watch for tonight, no one was really in the position to argue.

Beth goes and sits next to him, stretching her legs out on the grass out in front of her, and feeling the cool breeze on her face. She lets her eyes close, just trying to stay in this moment, it would be easy to forget, just sitting like this. She opens her eyes, the moon is full and bright and illuminates the space about before her, the woods although, are still protected by the darkness. She wants to be home, in her bed, wishing her Mamma goodnight. Daryl's silent, just letting her be with her thoughts, she wonders if he's tired and how he could keep going after a day like this. She sighs, the weariness of the day flowing over her, she doesn't want to cry.

"It's my fault Andrea's gone. And Jimmy. And Patricia," she whispers, trying to stop her self from crying. "They were next to me I... I could have done something. The walkers just grabbed Jimmy, they practically tore Patricia from my arms," She stops, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Andrea was safe with Lori, then she came to save me and when we went back to the cars Andrea was gone. It's my fault." With that she closes her eyes again, taking even breaths to calm herself.

"It ain't, Beth, it ain't. Ya can't go round blaming yourself for Andrea and everyone, it ain't your fault," Daryl says, trying to reassure her best he could.

"But if Lori hadn't of needed to come and get me she could still be here-" she says as Daryl cuts her off,

"You don't know that-"

"You don't either!" Beth yells, regretting it as soon as it's done, hoping she didn't wake the sleeping group. Silence is all that follows. Beth tries to calm down, tries to stop the tears forming and falling. She doesn't want to seem weak in front of Daryl. Beth refuses to cry. She takes a deep shaky breath before saying, "I'm sorry."

Daryl turns his head to face her, "Don't blame yourself. Those deaths ain't on your hands. Some things are just outta your control. No one could've guessed this would happen. It had nothin' to do with you, Beth. You got out, alive. Now you just gotta keep living. Ya hear me, Girl?"

Beth nods, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for Daryl. He places a hand on her knee and leaves it there, it's a grounding feeling. She leans her head back to rest on the hard, cool bark of the tree. She is alive. She chose to survive before and now she had survived the falling of her farm. She made it. Now, Beth couldn't let anything stop her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a significant time jump from this point forward, things during this jump will be explained though. Anyway, I hope you liked it!  
> Let me know what you think!


	6. New Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group finds a new place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Like I said before, time jump. I don't know 100% the timelines in the TV show, but for this fic lets just say that Lori was two months pregnant at the farm and it's been 5 or so months. Also just as a side note, Beth is 17 at this point in time. Also there is some minor talk about Lori's baby and what could potentially happen to it in stressful conditions, if this makes you uncomfortable please take care when reading.  
> Enjoy!

It's been about five and a half months since the group left the farm. No one's been keeping track, the only way they can tell is by the stage in Lori's pregnancy. Lori, being about two months pregnant when they left the farm, was now nearing her eighth month of pregnancy.

Beth didn't appreciate how well off and secluded they were on the farm before being out in the open. The world was deserted of people, living people that was. Yet the threat of death had never been more pronounced.

It was winter and the group had been going from house to house, never being able to settle in one place. Walkers always being just outside the door. The group had been searching for a place to settle down. Somewhere with walls and a roof, somewhere they could start to settle and rest. Nothing had turned up.

The most they had stayed in one place was a shed off of the back of a house. The house itself had been inhabitable, with the smell of death unbearable for Lori sensitive stomach, so they stayed in the small shed. Cramped and scared with the thought of death getting one of their group members.

After the farm had fallen Rick had told the group about what happened to Shane. He had tried to kill Rick, so Rick had retaliated by killing him. That wasn't the worst news of all.

After Rick killed Shane, he rose again as a walker, only to be shot down by Carl. If a person doesn't die by a shot to the brain, they will come back as a walker. Every single living person was infected. Words had never haunted her more.

Now, everyone was one edge. People were cautious of the slightest cold that was caught, which if it resulted in their death, would then lead to the deaths of everyone else. With Lori pregnant, if the baby wasn't able to survive the conditions she was put under and died while in her stomach... the group really didn't want to think about that.

Beth had become more confident in her fighting abilities, she was able to help the group take down even the biggest mass of walkers. Sure, she wasn't the best out of them all, but she more than pulled her weight for the group.

Now, they were staying in a small, dirty house. It stank like animals had been living there for a while before the group had settled there. Food was sparse and anything they found was mostly given to Lori, as she was eating for two people. Rick and Lori had been having troubles, and after everything, their relationship was more strained than ever. Carl had tried his best to mend it, a tough job for just a kid.

"Mom! I found pancake mix, how about a Sunday morning breakfast... If it even is Sunday?" Carl yells, laughing from the kitchen.

"God, no! No pancakes," Rick says laughing along with Carl.

"Hey! They weren't that bad!" She says in a fake tone of upset.

"I hate to say this, Mom, but they were pretty bad," Carl said, the three of them laugh together.

Beth's favorite thing at the time like this is seeing her family happy. Every single person here was a part of her family, some by blood, others not. An extended family.

The first night at the house Beth and Maggie slept next to each other for the first time in a while, it felt like old times when they used to have sleepovers in each other's rooms. Maggie usually spent most of her time with Glenn now, and it was understandable, finding happiness and love in a world like this was rare, and every moment should be cherished. But Beth had to admit, she missed her sister's company.

They quietly whispered and giggled, Maggie, gushing over Glenn and talking about how things would be if the dead hadn't started rising.

"Oh, gosh. Imagine him meeting Daddy before, he probably would have been shot!" Maggie says.

"Nah, I doubt he would have shot him, I mean, look how well they get along now," Beth whispered back, imagining family dinners and Maggie bringing Glenn to meet her father for the first time.

"Perks of a world like this, no embarrassing 'meet the family dinners'," Maggie said laughing. It was fun, just Maggie and her. Glenn came and got Beth to take over his watch with Daryl shortly after, taking Beth place beside her sister for the night.

"G'night, Beth," Maggie whispered before Beth got up and left.

"Yeah, Night, Beth," Glenn said as well.

"Night, guys," Beth says back, stretching her legs and moving to the front of the house, taking a seat next to Daryl on the porch outside.

He tosses her the blanket Glenn had left after his watch, she wraps it around her, a shield from the cold.

"You right out here?" Daryl asks Beth nods in response. She touches her hand on her hip making sure that her gun is still safely in place. Eyes peeled for possible threats.

"I used to love going outside at night, looking at the stars, the evening breeze surrounding me. It was my favorite part of the day. Now, it terrifies me. Anything can happen in the darkness, you can't even see." Beth misses her nights on the farm. She wonders if someone else is living there now or if the walkers completely took over it.

Daryl makes a grunting noise in response, not a man of many words but Beth could always tell he was listening.

"Stars shine bright now, without all the people screwin' this place up. That's good, I guess." Daryl finally says in response, a small smile playing on his lips.

Beth looks up smiling in response, the stars do seem brighter. Perhaps the world is getting a second chance, restarting and undoing the damage that was caused to it. They didn't treat the world right; this was their punishment.

Beth leans closer to Daryl and puts her head on Daryl's shoulder. The night's getting cooler. He puts his arm around her, tentative, seeming to wonder if she'll move, pull away. She doesn't.

They stay like that for the rest of their watch.

\---------------------------------------------

 

The group stumbled upon it the next morning, completely on accident.

It wasn't marked on the map they carried and no one in the group was from around here to note its existence. It was huge and, a little intimidating.

Standing as fortified as ever before them was a prison.

It was covered by fences, three of them outlined the perimeter around the prison from what Beth could see. The walls were solid and it still stood tall. The only problem it seemed to have was the walkers.

Dozens of them surrounded the outside fences, walking along the fence perimeter. Inside the prisons outside grass area was filled with the prisons walker inmates. She hated to think about how many were inside.

"Look at it. It's huge," Beth said to Daryl as they quietly approached the land before them, trying not to disturb any walkers.

"Yeah, see that there," he pointed to a walkway in between the fences, "If we can get to that we'll at least have walls around us."

Rick got the group together and started forming a plan, "Okay, everyone get your weapons ready. Take out any walker you see. We're just tryin' to get to that path covered by fences over there. Once we're in we'll work out a way to clear the grass area, stay there for the night. Then, maybe if it all works out, we can think about clearin' the prison." He finishes, grabbing Lori by the shoulder, Lori looks at him and nods, absently rubbing her stomach.

Beth stays in front of Lori the whole time, protecting her with everything she's got. Taking walkers down with her knife best she could, ensuring her loved ones were safe in the process.

They reached the fence and Rick cut a hole with pliers, allowing the group to enter the inside area. Once they were all inside Glenn tied the hole up, and they continued through the prison. As they passed the fence walkers jumped at them, trying to get past the protective barrier to a fresh meal.

"If we can take out walkers, we'll have the field by night." was the last thing Rick said before plans were in order.

Orders were given and Beth was tasked along with some other members of the group to take out walkers along the fence, Rick was going to close the gate to cut off the entrance to the main field.

Once Rick closed the gate and got to the main tower everyone shot down the remaining walkers, clearing the field for a restful night. Beth looked over at her sister, Maggie had a smile on her face, as did Beth, knowing this could be good for the group. Once all the walkers were down the group entered the space, whooping and cheering at the achievement of finding the prison.

Beth loved it. Even though it used to be a place where people were locked up and couldn't leave, the area was spacious and welcomed sight.

Beth felt _free_.

\--------------------------------------

 

Beth settled down in the circle that the group had formed on the land. A small fire was going, and spirits were high.

"This will be a good place to have the baby, Lori," Beth said, placing her hand on the woman's ever-growing stomach.

"Yeah, safe, fine walls. That is if we can clear the thing out," Lori stated.

"We'll be able to, it's a solid fortified place, a good place to grow crops. It's a place to start new. The prison's infirmary should be a big help, your baby will be safe here." Her father reassures Lori.

"You know, I never imagined giving birth to my kid in a prison," Lori said, a smile playing on her face.

"Nah, it'll be cool, it won't be born somewhere boring, like a hospital." Carl's statement makes everyone laugh.

Daryl sits down on the other side of her, just coming off watch. She scoots closer to him, wanting his input about the place, Beth had a good feeling about it but Daryl seemed to know about these things.

"It ain't bad, Beth. Don't know why people call it a new home though." He says.

"It's hope, Daryl. Hope that there can be better places out in this world." Beth wants Daryl to understand the greatness of finding this place, how good it can be for them.

"Hope. Who 'as hope nowadays anyway."

"If we don't have hope, what's the point of livin'?" Beth says. Daryl stays silent.

"This will be a good place... safe. It has to be." Beth finishes saying in a whisper.

"You best be right, girl." He says before settling back into silence. The prison will be good for them, Beth just feels it. New solid walls after months on the road.

The prison is hope. The prison is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slow build fic so my focus is just on Daryl and Beth getting to know each other at the moment.  
> Anyway, Let me know what you think!


	7. Beginnings from Within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts clearing the prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter. Hope you like it!  
> Enjoy!

Beth wakes up to an unfamiliar surrounding. She panicked and reached for her knife until she remembered where she was.

A prison.

That probably shouldn't have been comforting words, Beth realized, but she was too happy about the protection it brought to care.

She rolled onto her back facing the sky, she could hear people in the distance talking but it was peaceful where she was. She wished she could stay like this for a while.

Once she was discovered awake she was given instructions immediately. The group was to start clearing the prison, finding walls to sleep in, rather than outside. To start new beginning's from within the prison. A new home maybe.

She was to go in a group with Rick, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn and her father to clear some of the cells inside, maybe to make it more habitable for them to live.

Maggie was worried about her going, as she usually was, and Beth had to reassure her that she would be fine, she could handle herself. Beth really hoped the words she was saying were true. Maggie gave her strict instructions; To stick by her side, always have her gun ready to fire, and to be careful.

While the remaining group members diverted the walkers from the entrance into the prison, the group went in, taking down the remaining walkers that stood in their way.

The group reached a side door that leads directly into the prison. It was pitch black inside. She couldn't even see the outline of her hand in front of her. As they walked further in natural light streamed through the windows illuminating a cell block below her.

There were walkers milling around on the floor, still dressed in their riot protective gear. Cells lined the walls, covering two floors of space. The prisoners had died in their cells, they were now walkers, never to know freedom again.

They descended the stairs after they had cleared the first level of cells, Beth started taking out the walkers in the lower level cells. There were at least a dozen walkers covering this level, either as guards or walkers in riot gear. Then she felt a push against her back and she turned around only to be met with a walker dressed in riot gear.

Beth was thrown to the floor by the walker attacking her from behind. Her gun slipped out of her hands and slid across the room. She could hear Maggie yell her name. Beth grabbed her knife that was attached to its sheath at her hip, bent her arm so the knife could reach underneath the helmet, and stabbed the walker in the brain. As she did blood spewed out of the walker onto her neck and face, the walker landed on top of her making it difficult to breathe.

"Beth!," it was Maggie, she threw the walker off Beth and started scanning her body for bites, "Is that your blood? Beth, are you okay?"

"Maggie, I'm fine! I handled it, it just got a little messy, okay?" Beth said, trying to calm her sister's worries. Maggie helped her to her feet and tried to find something to get the blood off of her. Daryl was there then, ripping the pant leg of one of the inmates uniform off, using it as a makeshift cloth, dampening the fabric with water from their bottles.

"I think we should go back, I mean we've already cleared one block, isn't that enough?" Maggie said concern lacing her voice, clearly worried for Beth.

"Maggs, we should keep goin'," Beth said, frustrated at her sisters fussing.

"Look what happened to you-" Maggie retaliates before Beth cuts her off.

"Yeah, well I handled it! I'm fine. I'm okay, Maggie. I can do this, you just gotta trust me, alright?" Maggie swooped her sister up into a hug, kissing her on the forehead,

"Yeah okay Beth, I trust you. Let's go then," She said pulling away from the hug, "As long as your sure," she whispered the last part only for Beth to hear. Beth nodded, she wanted this done. A new home was what her family deserved.

Maggie went back over to Glenn's side, giving his hand a squeeze before setting off with the Rick through the rest of the prison. The others followed suit.

"You gave me a fright back there, Bethy," Her father said, worry in his eyes.

"Yeah, 'm sorry, daddy. But I can do this, I'm not a kid anymore. We gotta do this for our family." Beth said determined not to let anyone stop her.

"I know Bethy, you've grown up to be a strong woman. Your mother would be proud to see you like this." Her father gave her smile before joining the others at the end of the block. Beth swallowed the lump in her throat down at the mention of her mother. She hoped it was true that her mother would be proud.

Daryl trailed her now, taking the end position of the group, watching their backs. They walked down corridor after corridor, following dark, dank paths that smelled like the dead.

"It's so dark and... Ugh, it smells so bad in here." Beth whispered to Daryl.

"Yeah, I guess. Not as bad as you though," He said, she could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Excuse you? It's not like you're exactly smellin' like roses." Beth said, joking right back with him. Daryl laughed a rough sound. It calmed her nerves. Everything seemed to be going relatively according to plan.

That was until they got separated.

The group turned down the next hallway, walking into a slew of walkers. Every angle they turned was met with the faces of walkers, seeking the taste of their flesh.

"Beth! Daddy!" She heard Maggie scream for her but she couldn't see anyone. Beth was taking down walker after walker, just trying to reach her family.

"Maggie!" Beth screamed back. She ran out of bullets and had to turn to her knife. She felt a hand grab hers and, just as she was about to sink the blade of her knife into the assailants head, she came face to face with Daryl Dixon.

"Come on, Beth!" Daryl said, dragging her down a corridor. The corridor they came down? Beth was unsure. They were winding down paths, looking for anything that could remotely be their safety. Daryl handed her another gun as they ran, still taking down the oncoming walkers. Daryl yanked open the next door they saw. It leads into a courtyard. A courtyard that was full of walkers.

Beth went to turn around, go back to the safety of inside. She was met with another group of walkers that were following them out of the prison. Slamming the door behind her, the pair of them set to the task of getting themselves out of this courtyard, alive.

The remaining members of the group outside must have heard the gunshots, more bullets were taking down walkers before she had a chance to. She saw the others; Carl, Carol, and Lori, all with guns in their hand, careful not to accidentally hit Daryl or Beth.

Once it was all cleared she turned to Daryl, "If I open that door we can take down the walkers that come from inside. It'll be more controlled, safer probably."

"Yeah, you have enough weapons?" Was Daryl's response.

"I have my knife and two guns. Don't know how many bullets in each though."

"We got the group back there, they'll 'ave our backs." Daryl then moved to open the door. Walkers shambled out at the sight of them. Beth set her gun down, set to work using her knife, she didn't need to waste bullets. Once the job was done Daryl and Beth went back inside the prison and followed the path along, seeing it lead back to the cell block they had cleared earlier.

"We'll go back, bring the others in. Then go off and find the others, that clear?" Daryl said facing her. Beth gave a nod in reply, her stomach in knots at the thought of the rest of her family trapped somewhere in this prison.

Lori gripped Carl's hand the whole time they walked through the hall, never letting him out of her sight. Beth had her gun raised the whole time, Daryl had his crossbow. Even though they had just cleared the thing out the group could never be too careful.

As they entered Beth heard voices, Maggie's voice. She noticed that the walkers had been placed to the side of the block. She ran to her sister, glad she was okay. Maggie turned as she heard them approach, tears falling from her eyes.

"Beth..." Maggie said, half sobbing. Then she saw it, what Maggie was crying about. Her father was laid out on one of the cots in the cell unconscious. He looked like he was dead.

She ran to him, checking his pulse. It was still there. Then she noticed, how could she have not seen it before.

Her father was missing part of his leg.

\-------------------------------------------------

Beth was at her father's side ever since she discovered him. They've handcuffed him to the cot. People are expecting the worst.

Daryl offered to stay with her but she urged the others to continue clearing out the prison, and hopefully, find the infirmary. Maggie and Beth sat side by side on the cold floor of the cell. Sometimes Beth would think her father had stopped breathing and rush over and check on him. It was always a false alarm.

Maggie was worried, she thought he wouldn't make it. "Beth... He's lost so much blood I just don't see him pullin' through," Maggie said with tears in her eyes.

"Why are you so quick to give up on him! He will make it, we just gotta have faith, Maggie!" Maggie left the cell then leaving Beth alone with their father.

"Beth, honey, why don't you go clean up? I'll keep an eye on him for you, I promise to yell out if there is any improvement." Lori sat down on the floor and ushered Beth from the room. Carol was waiting for her outside of the cell, she had done so much for her father. Carol stopped the bleeding and her quick thinking may have saved his life. Beth was forever thankful.

Carol lead her to the cell on the far end, handing Beth a wet towel to clean the blood off her. She wasn't sure whether it was walker blood or her fathers. That thought made her cry.

Carol pulled Beth into her arms, soothing her with calming words, "Your father will be just fine, Beth. If he's as strong as you, I have no doubt he'll be up in no time." Beth smiled up at Carol in reply, she really was a fantastic person.

"Beth! Maggie!" It's Lori. Beth bolts from the cell into where her father lays. She sees Lori, performing CPR on him. Maggie comes in and grabs her hand, both crying and hoping their father makes it. After what seems like an eternity, Lori breathes a sigh of relief.

"He's breathing, girls." Maggie goes directly over to their father, grabbing his hand and sitting on the bed watching him. Beth goes over to Lori, she's trying to catch her breath, winded from the strenuous task for a pregnant woman.

"I'm okay, Beth. Would you just help me up? I might go lay in one of the cots for a while, relax a little." She helps Lori up and Carl and her take her to another cell room.

Beth goes back to be with her sister. She sees the other members come back from their mission of clearing the rest of the prison. She notices bandages, antiseptic wipes and more that will be of use to her father.

Beth starts to go up to them, greeting them back and thanking them. She hears a bang sound behind her. Men in prison uniforms have her sister near the front entrance of the block, a knife to her throat. One of the men grabs Beth before she can react, dragging her next to Maggie. Beth feels the cool metal of a knife press against her throat.

Beth is trapped, she can see no way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I don't know if it was a bit confusing but the prison block they are in has two entrances, one at the back leading to the outside and the other main block entrance. Hope you liked it.  
> Let me know what you think!


	8. Hello to a New Life, Goodbye to a Loved Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group fights for their new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter. I won't be able to update tomorrow, I have so far been able to keep it to an update a day, but I just won't have the time tomorrow. So here's a long chapter to get you through!  
> Enjoy!

Beth had an idea. It was stupid, so stupid that it was laughable. The worst decision probably ever made but it was all she could come up with.

The plan was from a movie that Maggie made her watch at movie night with their mother. Some female agent or another, it was years ago, but the defense moves she needed would help in this situation. Beth really didn't even remember what to do. This was going to get her killed.

There was no way to even tell Maggie her plan, if Beth messed up and her sister's life was the price, she would never forgive herself. But she had to try. Rick and the group were trying to talk the prisoners down. They wanted this prison and so did her group. The inmates weren't letting up though, they were determined to kill them for these walls. Daryl had his crossbow raised, the others had their guns. They wouldn't be able to make the shot though, not while Maggie and Beth's life laid in the balance. She needed to act.

She couldn't remember which move came first to get herself out of the situation, some elbow thing, Beth wasn't sure. So she just decided to do whatever would work to make her survive hoping that Maggie would quickly catch on.

Beth elbows the inmate in the hip and feels the pain of the knife slice below her collarbone coming to a stop just above her right breast. She saw blood start to cover her shirt. This wasn't part of the plan, but from a three-second assessment, Beth would say the wound wasn't too deep... She hoped.

However, Beth wasn't done with her attacker; in her pain, while the inmate is still doubled over, she uses her elbow to smash his face by hitting his nose. Beth thinks she missed one of the defense moves but it's too late now to go back.

It's only action after that.

At her sudden attack, she sees Maggie bend just a touch to then bring her head up and smash it under the prisoner's chin causing his teeth to smash together. Once his grip loosens Maggie whirls him around and smashes his face into the bar of the cell door. Beth hears something crack and it makes her stomach turn. Beth pushes the inmate away from her and he topples into the other inmates.

Two of the prisoners are on the floor with their hands raised screaming to not shoot them. Rick and Daryl grab the inmates that attacked Maggie and Beth, pinning them to the floor.

One of the inmates escapes through the back entrance, Carol aims her gun and fires after him, missing him just by inches. Glenn and Carol follow him in pursuit.

Rick and Daryl drag the inmates into an unoccupied cell, throwing them in and locking it behind them with the keys they found on a dead prison guard.

Maggie runs over to Beth along with Lori. They start cleaning her up, inspecting the wound, cleaning it out. The pain starts to make her feel woozy. The cut was deeper than she thought.

"Please, Please!," one of the inmates start sobbing, "We never wanted this! It wasn't our idea!" the inmates address Rick, seemingly trying to plead for his life.

"What's your name?" Rick spits at the man, a vicious look on his face. Beth had never seen him this mad.

"It's...It's Axel! We didn't want this. We- we're just surviving with them. We're just survin'." Axel stops speaking, eyes pleading with Rick to let him live.

"It's true, Man." The inmate next to Axel says.

"An' who are you." Rick seems to be snarling his words now, pronouncing his words with a stab to convey his anger.

"I'm Oscar," the prisoners says hesitantly getting off his knees to stand, hands still raised trying to keep the situation calm, "We were just following them, I had no idea what they were goin' to do. I promise." Oscar stops waiting for Ricks response.

"Why should I believe you, Oscar?" Rick turns his gun on Oscar, just waiting for him to make the wrong move.

"I can't make you believe me. But I do know where the prison kitchen is, which I know you haven't found yet. How 'bout we make a deal? We show you where the large stock of food is, we get a cell block all to ourselves. Stay out of you guys way. Sound fair?" Oscar lowers his hands then, confident in his bargaining abilities.

Rick turns his head ever so slightly to Daryl. He's next to Beth, watching Maggie patch her up. Daryl nods ever so slightly, not wanting the inmates to know.

"Alright, one cell block. But if I so much as see you 'round here, you're good as dead. Understand?" Rick lowers his gun, waiting for their response. It's Axel that speaks.

"Yes! All clear. Thank you."

"You gotta show us where this food is first, any wrong move, bullets go in both of your heads." Rick starts walking towards the other contained prisoners that they put in the cell. Beth sees the man with a broken nose, her doing. The other inmate's teeth have been smashed out, Maggie's doing. 

"What about you? You come here and attack our people. Dumb move on your part." The prisoner smiles. It makes Beth want to throw up. She sees him reach into his pocket. Something silver flashes and he lunges at Rick through the cell bars.

But Rick's quicker, raising his gun, he fires off two shots, into both of their heads. Beth see's the blood splatter against the back wall of the cell. She looks away, the sight turns her stomach. Beth has never seen someone die at the hands of another person. It scares her to think she may have to one day do the same.

Rick turns to Axel and Oscar, a dark look on his face. "That's what happens when you mess with this group." He goes through the main entrance, pushing Axel and Oscar out in front of him, waiting for them to show the way to the kitchen of the prison.

"Daryl," Rick says, waiting for Daryl to accompany him as a backup.

Daryl turns to Beth, "I can stay," His words are short and clipped. He has his hand resting in the crook of her elbow squeezing it lightly, a reassuring gesture.

"Go, Daryl. We'll be fine." Beth puts her hand on his arm. They stay like that for a while before Rick clears his throat.

Daryl gets up almost like he's been burned. Beth looks at the floor feeling a warmth in her cheeks. She can feel Maggie's eyes staring at her, it feels like its burning a hole through her skull trying to read her thoughts. They hear a noise come from her father's cell.

Both sisters race in to check on her father. He has his eyes open, smiling at the two of them

"Daddy," Beth whispers. He's alright.

He's alive.

\-----------------------------

Three weeks had passed since Beth's father lost his leg and honestly, she never realized just how determined he was.

Maggie and Glenn found some crutches for him while out on a run, the group needed blankets for the cooler nights as well as warmer clothes and they just so happened to stumble upon some in someone's house in storage.

Beth's injury had started healing as well although, she wasn't as optimistic as her father.

The knife wound had started scarring her neck. It was a bright red line trailing from her collarbone to come to a rest right above her right breast. Her father tried to assure her that the future scarring wouldn't look as bad as it did now, with the wound still fresh.

Daryl touched it one day, fingers brushing along the path the scar made. He told her it wasn't that bad, but if anyone hurt her again that he would kill them. He wouldn't look at her for two days afterward.

Beth just thought it looked ugly. Another scar to add to her body.

As for life in the prison, after the first couple of mishaps, Beth could say life here had been going pretty well.

The group had slowly been adapting to life in the prison, they all had their own cell, with the exception of Maggie and Glenn who had taken apart the single cots to form one double bed. Daryl refused to sleep in a cell, choosing instead to sleep on the floor of the landing on the second level. However, in the past days slowly he had slept on the cot mattress.

Daryl understood just how important this prison had become to Beth, how she wanted her family to have the best they could find in a world like this. A fresh start for all of them.

While on a run Daryl had found Beth a small potted cactus, giving it to her claiming, _"it was nothin'_ ," and that he _"just thought of"_  her when he found it. It gave Beth a tight feeling in her chest.

She was able to personalize her cell, making it more familiar to her rather than the dark and cold unfamiliar surrounding that it was when she first slept there. She put the potted cactus on the ledge of the barred window in her cell, slowly accumulating a range of other things to accompany it.

There was a music box, which was broken and Daryl had fixed for her so it now sang a beautiful lullaby, and, a miniature figurine of a dog. Beth also found a turtle figurine but she gave that one to Daryl. It made her smile thinking of the way he looked at her that night. Like he was trying to figure her out, figure out the meaning of what they shared.

Ever since then Beth would say the dynamics between them have changed. She now brushes her hand across his back when he passes, he stands closer than necessary to her whenever they're in the same room, sometimes Beth catches him watching her, sometimes it's the other way round.

Right now they were outside waiting for Maggie and Glenn to come off watch. People now knew better to disturb them while they both were on duty. It made for some awkward moments.

Beth was soaking up the sun as much as she could. The light was only for the day and very limited in the prison. The group was still trying to locate the generators, hoping to bring some light into the night. Beth was currently in the midst of arguing with Daryl about his crossbow and giving Carl lessons with it. Carl had told Beth he would love to one day use it but Daryl was certain that day would never come.

"Daryl, come on. Just one try, it won't do ya any harm. Don't make the boy beg." Daryl was smirking as she said this, they had been at this for a while now, Beth making no progress on her argument.

"Nah, think I'm alright keepin' it in safe hands. The kid won't know what he's doin' anyway. Could end up hurtin' someone." Daryl said the words directly at Beth knowing she wouldn't want to be the cause of anyone's harm. Beth just smiled wider.

"That's why you teach him then," Beth moved closer to him now, seeing his expression change just ever so slightly. Beth knew what game she was playing at. "Come on, Daryl. You let me use the crossbow."

"So, that's different," He looks down when he says it, not meeting her eyes once. But she wants to know

"Why?"

"Cause it's you" Daryl looks at her then, eyes piercing hers, that she has to look away. Okay, maybe she didn't know _exactly_ what game she was playing at. Her feelings for Daryl were quite pronounced but if there was nothing there on his side, she didn't want to get hurt in the process. Proceed with caution was how she was approaching whatever it was that fell between them. She looked back up, staring directly into his eyes,

"Tell me why _I_ make it different then." They are interrupted by a loud alarm sounding.

Walkers start shambling out of nowhere. She sees Maggie and Glenn leaving the tower. Confused by the happenings everyone runs in opposite directions. The others start to make headway on taking the walkers out. Once there's only a couple of stragglers left she turns around. She can't see Lori, Carl, Carol or Maggie.

"I lost Maggie. She was next to me but then I turned and she was gone." Glenn said running over to the group.

Rick assumed a leadership position, "Split up, everyone, Glenn, and Daryl, you come with me. We gotta stop that alarm. Beth stays here with your father in case they turn up." Beth nods as the others leave. She grabs her father's hand, hoping the others are safe.

After what seemed like hours had passed the group met up in the main courtyard.

"It was the escaped prisoner," Rick announced as he approached them, "He set the walkers on us and turned the alarm on. There's no sight of the others either."

"There's gotta be somewhere we haven't looked, Rick. We'll find 'em." Daryl said to Rick.

Beth hears crying then, but she wouldn't say it was an adult cry. No. It was a baby's.

Rick heard it too and turned around smiling.

Out came Maggie and Carl. She had a baby in her arm and tears on her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." Maggie breaks out into sobs after that.

She sees Rick fall, sinking to his knees, slamming on the ground. She could feel the wetness on her face, see it gleaming off of Maggie's. Carl looks devastated, Beth goes over and hugs him. Carl grips onto her for dear life.

The only noise was crying; the baby's and Rick's sobbing.

They got to say hello to a new life in this world, but Beth didn't want to have to say goodbye to a loved one's life in the process.

Lori was dead. This baby was all that remained of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lori's death made me so sad. But I hoped you liked this chapter! Also the movie Beth was talking about was Miss Congeniality, where she does that S.I.N.G thing. I had no idea what I was going to do with this whole situation and I watched it last night and it inspired me, haha.  
> Anyway, Let me know what you think!


	9. At the End of Everything, Comfort Can Still be Found in You

Grief had been coating the prison ever since Lori's death. It sat like a heavy blanket over everyone. It was almost smothering.

Beth hadn't remembered seeing anyone smiles in the week following her death.

The new baby was the only exception.

It was completely oblivious to the world surrounding it, in a haze of unbeknownst glory. It made Beth envious. She wished she didn't know what was going on in the prison. The feeling of sorrow trailing everyone where ever they went.

At least Beth had got to know Lori, was able to see the true mark she left. This baby would never know her own mother.

She sometimes hears Maggie's screams echoing through the night. By now the group was very familiar with each other’s screams, but Maggie's sounded different. Beth remembers what Maggie told her about that day, it takes everything in her to not leave when Maggie tells her.

 _"I... I had to cut her open, Beth. Her screams- they were so loud. She was in so much pain. It's all I see when I close my eyes."_ Maggie broke off then, trying to hold back her sobs.

 _"Maggie,"_ Beth said holding her sister in her arms, trying to calm her as much as possible.

_"There was so much blood... the baby started crying and I-I thought that it would be okay. Maybe we could patch her up."_

_"But Beth, she held her baby tight. It was one of the last things she saw. She held her baby after I had just cut her open, taken her apart. Blood covered them both. Lori was so brave, Beth..."_

Maggie collapsed into sobs and her words became intelligible. She fell asleep in Beth's arms that night. Beth thinks the conversation will always haunt her, but not as much as Maggie and Carl.

Ever since that night, Rick had stepped away from his leadership role. Daryl and Glenn had tried to fill that role as much as they could, but it wasn't the same without Rick.

Daryl and Glenn had also been dealing with the other inmates that shared the prison with them, Axel and Oscar. They had been wanting to join the group, to pull their weight around the prison rather than just wasting away in a cell... Again.

Daryl and Glenn were hesitant, with everything that happened with the other inmate, who knew how Rick would react. The decision was still up in the air.

While Beth felt a lot of sympathy for Rick, how could she not, Beth also felt anger towards the man. He had lost his wife which was devastating, although he hadn't been all that civil towards Lori in months, he'd left Carl totally alone.

After Maggie told her that Carl had to put down his own mother so she wouldn't turn, Beth's blood boiled at the thought of Rick.

Carl had not only lost his mother but now he had an absent father to add to the list.

Not to mention, with Rick gone, the new infant now feel under Beth's primary care. Not that it mattered all that much. The baby was magnificent. It was a new life that had been bought into this terrible world. Beth would protect it with her life, just as Lori had lost her life for it.

Beth wondered if Rick was worried the baby could potentially be Shane's. Lori had confided in her that Shane and her were careful, but the timelines just didn't add up to Beth. It was equally likely to be Rick's baby as it was to be Shane's. Beth never judged Lori when she told her. Lori thought that Rick had died. In a world like this, it wasn't a bad thing to want a little comfort in the arms of another person.

Still, Beth was pissed at Rick for leaving.

She had been doing all she could for the little baby since everything. She was in charge of putting it to sleep, feeding it and, looking after it. All the while still trying to contribute to the regular goings-on in the prison. Whatever she did and wherever she went, Beth was always carrying the child with her. She had to admit, it was kind of exhausting. The group probably wouldn't have minded if she took some time off from her regular duties, but Beth couldn't leave it all to them. She had promised to keep this place a home, and a home it would be.

The group had found formula for the baby, as well as other necessities that Carol had suggested. The others would sometimes try to care for the child while Beth went off and did other chores, but the baby had seemed to accept her as a surrogate mother of sorts. The only other person that it remotely liked was Daryl and, with his newly assumed leadership position, he couldn't exactly spend half his time with this child.

Ever since the baby was born Daryl had gone around calling the infant Lil' Asskicker. Unconventional as far as names go, but Daryl argued it was because she was tough. A tough Lil' Asskicker.

Carl had been trying to come up with a more appropriate name for his sister, Glenn had found him a baby naming book while on a run, but Carl hadn't found anything he liked. Beth guessed he just wasn't comfortable with people calling his sister Lil' Asskicker, probably afraid the name would forever stick, as it had already seemed to.

Tonight was a particularly bad night for the baby. It was fussy and wouldn't settle down. It was nightfall by the time it started screaming and crying. Beth was physically drained, taking care of this baby and doing her usual jobs had taken a toll on her. She couldn't remember the last time she slept through the night. She would usually do her neglected chores at night when the baby slept which wasn't the brightest idea. Beth also hadn't stepped outside the prison walls in weeks and she was starting to miss the outside world, crazily enough.

Beth left the cell block and stepped outside, not wanting to wake the others with the baby's cries. She greeted Carol as she was going on night watch and saw Daryl as he left his watch. She was carefully bouncing the baby up and down which had now been slowly soothed by the night.

Daryl walked up to her and took the baby from her arms, shushing it when it stirred. "Hey, Lil' Asskicker." He said while smiling at the baby.

"Daryl, we really shouldn't be calling her that." Beth's protest was half-hearted, the name was starting to grow on her and even when she was alone Beth found herself calling the baby that.

Daryl looks up at her then and his face changes, "What's wrong, Beth?" They hadn't seen a lot of each other with their new found roles within the group and Beth had missed his company. "When was the last time you slept, Girl?" Daryl looked down at her, focusing on her, while still cradling the baby tight.

"I'm fine, Daryl. Just all this baby stuff is tough, you know? I love her with all my heart but I wished she would just sleep through the night," Beth laughs a rough laugh then, "I'm fine though." She hastily tries to reassure Daryl.

"How 'bout I go give Lil' Asskicker here to Rick, huh? Maybe he could spend some time with his kid." Daryl's features look mad then, obviously, Rick's absence hadn't only been a strain on Beth.

"No, Daryl. It's fine. Honestly. She's not a problem. She's wonderful, a bright light in a world like this. She just likes to keep me up sometimes, it's not her fault."

Daryl sighs, "Beth, Rick can't just take a walk off from this group. From his kids. It ain't right. It ain't your responsibility. Lookin' after Carl as well. You need a break, Beth."

"I don't want to leave her. I love her and I want to take care of Lori's baby. It's what she would have wanted. She'd want her daughter to be loved and cared for. I can do it, Daryl." Beth starts to get defensive at Daryl. She knows he's just trying to help but she doesn't want to let Lori down. Lori died for this baby and Beth wouldn't let anything happen to it.

"Tomorrow. You comin' out with me on a run. You'll get outta this prison for a while. Rick gets his kid then. Let the kid get to know 'er father. Get some sleep now while Asskicker here is asleep." Daryl shifts the baby a little after that, making sure not to wake it while guiding Beth inside.

"Fine, tomorrow. Let me have her for the night." Daryl walks Beth back to her cell, he gently places the baby into its makeshift cot.

"Thank you, Daryl," Beth says standing close to him.

"It's nothin', Beth. G'night."

"Night, Daryl." Beth says embracing him to say goodbye for the night.

\-----------------------------------

 

Daryl told Beth that morning to get ready for the run they were going on, Rick was spending his due time with the baby and Carl. Beth, who hadn't left the prison walls in three weeks, was ecstatic at this fact.

Carl, who was finally able to properly talk with his father for the first time in weeks asked his opinion on the baby names. Carl had finally come to the decision that he wanted to call the baby Judith. Beth loved the name and Rick had agreed that the decision was fully up to Carl.

The baby would be called Judith.

She had been prepping for her run all morning, trying to get back into the habit of being in the outside world. She had a long list of things she wanted to get while she was out there.

First on the list of things she wanted to get on the run was some new things for Judith. Beth was hoping they could find her a small, easily assembled crib. She didn't want to see that baby sleep in a clothes basket anymore. Then maybe some toys and teething equipment. Who knew when they would be able to find these things, but Beth was preparing in advance.

They set out in one of the larger vehicles to accommodate all of their potential finds. Beth rolls down all the windows in the car, letting the wind flow across her face. It was marvelous to be outside again.

"Wish we had some music to listen to." Beth mused aloud. Daryl murmurs in agreement.

"You could sing if ya want.'' Daryl finally settles on saying, words hard to hear over the sound of the driving.

"You want me to sing? Remember when you said my singin' was annoying?" Beth said in a teasing tone.

"Ya ain't have to, just like you said. Ain't no music to listen to." Beth thinks she can see red coloring his cheeks as he says this.

So she sings. Song after song, any song she can completely remember, other songs she had only heard in passing. Beth sang until her heart was content and they reached their destination.

"You like any of those songs, Daryl?" Beth asked in a playful tone.

Daryl's voice sounded strained when he answers, "They ain't too bad."

Beth unsheathes her weapon as they enter the first store, smiling at Daryl's comment.

There's only a few walkers in the first store they enter. Daryl goes to the food section while Beth heads towards baby items. She grabs a few onesies for the baby, some more formula and, a few small toys to keep Judith entertained. The next store is a bigger type furniture store with plenty of options for baby cots. Beth picks the best one she sees and Daryl loads it up in the car.

The last stop is an old antique store that might not really have anything beneficial for them but Beth wanted to expand her collection of items for her cell and, bring Maggie back something nice.

"If you see somethin' nice, tell me. I wanna get Maggie somethin' good on her birthday." Beth yells out to Daryl who's over the other side of the store.

"Just get her condoms." Is his _helpful_ reply. Beth annoyingly thinks it would be a good idea although, she keeps the thought to herself.

"Daryl-" Beth starts before he cuts her off.

"When's your birthday, Beth?"

"Why?" Beth asks.

"Might have somethin' here for you." She hears Daryl begin to walk back towards her.

"My birthday was a few weeks back." Beth replies when she finally sees him.

"Here then," Daryl says walking over to her and putting something in the palm of her hand. 

Her breath catches in her throat. It's a necklace. She had the exact same necklace, or it was extremely similar save one minor detail. A simple silver cross, so many others like it, although this particular one had a small groove to resemble a whistle. With small threads linking the cross shape in place to eventually go around the neck and latch-up.

It looked like her mothers. Beth had taken a similar one off her mother's body before they buried her and kept it. When the farm fell she left it, couldn't go back to get it. Beth regretted it but here it was, once again. Given to her by Daryl. Beth loved it. Daryl must have seen it back at the farm. He must have seen her take it off the body, knew how precious it was to her.

She gets up and throws her arms around Daryl's neck, the necklace still gripped tight, bringing him close to hug him. It felt like Beth was just given a piece of her mother back.

"Thank you so much, Daryl. I love it." Beth whispers into the crook of his neck. She feels his hands at her waist, just the lightest pressure confirming their presence.

"It ain't a big deal, Beth." She could hear the tone in his whisper. He knew it was.

Emotions were high and all Beth could think about was everything they have been through together, her feelings towards him. She leaned back, looking him in the eyes. Beth had never felt this way for someone before. So, she did the only logical thing she could think of.

Beth kisses Daryl.

Her lips pressed lightly against his at first, just the gentlest touch. She had kissed people before sure, but she didn't want to scare Daryl off. She didn't want him to leave her.

She felt the slightest pressure of his lips responding to the kiss, she tightened her hands around him and pulled him closer. Aligning his body to hers.

Their lips glide over each other smoothly, Daryl's just slightly chapped. Daryl brings his hand to her face, cupping it lightly. Beth deepens the kiss, noses bumping ever so slightly as their lips move in motion over one another. His breath warm and sweet on her mouth. Beth's heart was racing, feeling his body against hers, his lips kissing hers. It was like someone had started a fire, warming her from the inside out. They kiss, slow and deep, discovering each other through the kiss.

 

The echo of a gunshot is what eventually tears them apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They kissed! I was so worried about writing this, I think it turned out alright. I hope you like it! Just a side note for anyone wondering: Beth said she had her birthday a couple of weeks back, so in this fic she is officially 18.  
> I just want to say thank you to everyone reading, the feedback has been a great help when writing so thank you!  
> Let me know what you think!


	10. Your Voice Sounds Like the Sweetest Song, Your Lips Taste Like the Sweetest Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter. Like a gift for the holidays!  
> Enjoy!

Beth tries to remember what she saw exactly. It was weird. People were there, but also walkers. Someone was dying, but not from the walkers. A man called the 'Governor' called for an execution. The details don't make sense to Beth, not to the others either.

These people had somehow trained walkers to be tame, to not bite the flesh off of their bodies. The walker's teeth had been taken out and their arms chopped off.

One thing Beth did know was that her shoulder was killing her.

The 'Governor' and his men had started shooting at them. Walkers had come up behind them when they were trying to remove themselves from the situation. The 'Governor' had been alerted to their presence. Beth and Daryl had tried to talk calmly to them, make sure they got home safe, but then the Governor raised his gun and fired.

Beth dived to cover Daryl, making sure he was not harmed. They darted through the stores parking lot, ducking and diving their way to safety. They fell to the floor as glass from an abandoned car shattered, covering them in sharp shards.

The pair finally reached the car. Daryl yanked the door open and ushered her inside. They tore out of the parking lot as fast as the car could drive, heads kept down to shield them from the rain of bullets outside. The cars back and front windows shattered from the bullets.

One they drove away, driving all over the place to cover their tracks to the prison, was when Beth started feeling woozy.

The adrenaline from running for her life had worn off, leaving her in a dreaded state. Beth recalls looking down at her hand, the necklace Daryl gave her still there, although something was off about it. Blood had trailed from her right shoulder down to her right palm covering the necklace in bright red blood. Blood was covering her shirt, staining it a deep and dark red.

She ran her hands over the back of her shoulder, feeling an exit would. Beth breathed a sigh of relief.

The bullet pierced through her right shoulder, at first she thought it had missed them all together, but she didn't realize her mistake until later.

That's why she was currently in the prison's infirmary, surrounded by every member of the group.

Beth's father had attended to her wound the second the car had arrived. The group had been happy to see them, but the state of the car they arrived in was enough to cause alarm immediately. Daryl and Maggie had practically carried her to the prison's infirmary. Carol had helped her father, along with Maggie (who honestly wasn't much help due to her panicked state), to give Beth the appropriate treatment.

With the bountiful supplies that were stored in the prison's infirmary, her father had been able to clean the wound with an antiseptic wipe, elevating the arm to allow appropriate blood flow and began stitching her up.

"This might hurt a little, Bethy." Her father stated, worry covering his every feature.

Beth felt the needle pierce through her skin, the two sides being pulled together to join back up. She tried to take her mind off the pain.

Beth and Daryl had told them all about the run, excluding that one _minor_ detail, trying to convey the danger that was the 'Governor'.

Beth recalls the poor boy who they executed, pleading and begging for his life to be spared, only to be shot point blank in the head. When Beth looked into The Governor's eyes, she was sure she was going to die too.

Daryl had begun to tell the story with a sense of calmness, not wanting to worry the group too much. But Beth could see the tension in his stance, his solid grip on the strap of his crossbow and, his hurried worried glances in Beth's direction.

Maggie was sitting by her side, squeezing Beth's left hand while her father stitched up the wound in her right shoulder. Beth was unsure if the squeezing was to reassure Maggie or herself but she didn't mind all that much.

The bullet that hit Beth had luckily missed any major arteries or caused fracture or nerve damage. Beth was just happy she was alive.

Once the stitches were done a pressure bandage was placed on the wound covering it from outside germs, and to stop any potential bleeding. Beth was given some antibiotics to stop potential infection and then sent off to her cell to rest. She weakly protested the group's insistence at this but she was exhausted.

Maggie walked her back to her cell, carefully making sure she was placed on her cot right. With the pain from the wound and her previous exhaustion, she was asleep once her head hit the pillow.

\-------------------------------------

Beth wakes up confused. Her mouth feels abnormally dry and her shoulder aches. She sits up carefully maneuvering so as not to disturb her injured shoulder.

"You 'right?" Daryl's there. Just outside her cell.

Beth murmurs her answer, her mouth unable to form words in its dry state.

"Water-" Is what she finally manages to croak out.

Maggie bursts in then seeing Beth awake, "Beth! Are you Okay? Careful how you move with that shoulder." Maggie tries to help Beth sit in a comfortable position but there's only one thing Beth wants.

"Water, Maggie." She says again, words burning her throat as she speaks. Maggie rushes out of the cell to return moments later with a canteen full of water and her father. Along with the rest of the group.

She gulps the canteen of water down embarrassingly fast, spilling it down herself and onto her cots sheets.

"Beth, take it easy there." Maggie jokes, concern still lingering in her eyes.

Once she's done her father sits down on the opposite side of her, mirroring Maggie's position, wearing the same concerned features.

"Side effect from the antibiotics, Bethy, horrible dry mouth. Are you feeling a bit better now?" Beth answers her father with a nod, still taking her time for her throat to feel better.

"Hope your feeling better, Beth. You were asleep for two days, you know. Thought you might even have turned you slept for so long." Carl jokes as the others give him a stern eye.

"Carl!" His father scolds.

"What! She might have! Who sleeps for two days anyway." He retaliates.

"Someone who's just been shot." Daryl's response is clipped and short. He's probably just trying to get Carl to shut up. Beth kind of likes Carl's humor now, it's better than everyone else staring at her.

Beth had slept for two days straight. She feels refreshed.

When she's more alert the group tells her what had happened in those days. The group had been out actively searching for the Governor and his Men in the days following the disastrous run. They had been searching for the Governor's camp, seeking to see if it was close enough to pose a threat to the prison. Nothing had been found.

Security had been tightened around the prison with more people on watches. The group had even tried to use the Governors walker idea. But, they had yet to perfect the tame walker.

After discussions are over Beth is left to get some rest, Maggie hates leaving her but it's her time for watch.

"Maggs, I'll be fine. Not much trouble I can get up to with this shoulder."

"Trouble usually finds you, Beth. But... If you're sure. I can stay, someone else can cover my shift." Maggie offers.

"I'm _fine_ Maggie. Go." Beth gives her sister a push, nearly toppling her off the cot. He sister gives her a glare, but Beth can see the smirk on Maggie's face.

Daryl's still there once everyone leaves, leaning against the bars of the cell door. He doesn't look at her when he starts to speak.

"You shouldn't have gotten in the way of the bullet. It's my fault you're hurt."

"Daryl, don't be stupid. We were bein' shot at, any bullet could have gotten me. It ain't your fault." Beth tries her best to reassure him.

"I wasn't payin' attention...I should have heard him. Now look at ya, you could've died, Beth." Daryl whispers the last part, almost as if the thought haunts him.

"But I didn't. I'm here. Alive. I'm here with you, Daryl." Beth gets up and crosses the room, placing her hand on Daryl's arm, calming him best she could.

"I don't know what I would have done, Beth-" Daryl breaks off then and Beth wraps him in a hug, cautious of her tender shoulder. They stay there hugging one another for a while. It's not until she hears Glenn's voice calling Daryl that they finally break apart. Just before Daryl turns to leave she whispers one last thing to him.

"It's not your fault, Daryl. I promise."

\-------------------------------------------

Beth was at the fence watching walkers shamble by the barrier, clawing the fence trying to reach her. She hadn't been outside the walls for a while. With her injury still healing, Beth wasn't allowed to do much except being on watches. She couldn't even pick up Judith without the group fearing her shoulder wound to worsen.

Beth had looked at the wound from the bullet that was slowly starting to scar on her shoulder as her father changed the dressings. It intersected with the other scar she had, that was given to her by the prisons former inmates. Right in the middle of the scar sat the puckered, tender, crooked circle of the red flesh of the healing bullet wound. Beth would gladly say her right shoulder area was not her best feature. 

Beth now picked up a crowbar, testing its weight in her hands, lifting it up and ramming it through the eye of a walker. Her shoulder burned.

Beth quickly put the crowbar down, not wanting anyone to see what she was doing. If Beth injured herself further, Maggie would probably never let her leave these walls again.

"You shouldn't be strainin' yourself like that, just gonna make it worse."

Beth jumps back, alarmed at being caught. She sees its just Daryl walking over to her. "I need to get my strength back, Daryl. Get used to using the arm again." Beth argues, tired of people constantly commenting.

" 's why you start out small first, Girl." Daryl says with ease.

"What do you suggest doin' then?" Beth kicks the crowbar away, liking the sound of it clattering against concrete.

"Not killin' the walkers for starters."

Beth thinks for a moment, thinking she could be a bit devious, "I got an idea but... You might not like it."

"What?" Daryl answers hesitantly.

"You could kiss me again?" She sees Daryl freeze. His whole body tense. They hadn't talked about what happened on the run.

"Beth..."

"Are we going to talk about it, Daryl?" Beth asks exasperatedly

"Ain't nothin' to talk about."

"Daryl-" Beth tries to reasons before she's cut off.

"C'mon, Beth. Stop tryin' to act like it meant anythin'. You were just grateful, 's all. I ain't gonna tell anyone. Your lil' secrets safe." Daryl says, his eyes dark.

"Daryl. That's not what I was goin' to say."

"Then what, Beth?" Daryl all but yells, moving closer to her space. "You regret it. Move on. Go fin' a hobby or somethin'. Just stop actin' like you give a shit."

"Daryl, stop!" Beth starts while looking around to see if the prying eyes of the prison were watching. "I like you, Daryl. I have for a while now, I don't regret what I did either. I don't want to forget it. Just... I don' know how my dad and Maggie will react. Give me some time to work on them. I mean- if you want to keep this up."

Daryl sighs, "What's there to keep up, Beth. I'm too old for you. You deserve better."

"Hey, I'm 18. It's perfectly legal." Beth started to argue.

"It ain't mater, Beth," Daryl stated. "How do ya think everyone 'round here's gonna react to this? Your dad, the group, _Maggie_? Huh? I'll be kicked out if anyon' ever found out."

"But I want you, Daryl. Just you." Beth says it as if it was the clearest thing in the world.

Daryl brings his hand towards her, holding her finger with his, "You deserve better." He murmurs.

"You are better, Daryl." Beth moves closer to him staring into his eyes trying to convey the words she wanted to say.

"I gotta go, Beth." Daryl says as he takes his hand from hers. At first, she's confused until she sees Rick approaching her.

"Beth, sorry to ask but Judith's gettin' fussy. Mind if you come help for a minute?" Rick says, his face apologetic.

"Sure. You feed her and changed her yet?" Beth asks as they walk towards the prison.

"Yeah, she's not settling. Maybe she will for you." Rick explains.

"Maybe. But she hasn't been settling well for a while. Carol said she might be teethin'. Nothin' has been soothin' her."

"Your singin' soothes her."

"Can't be singin' all the time." Beth says with a laugh, Rick laughing with her.

"I didn't get to thank you before, Beth. All you did for Judith and Carl. You can't know how much I truly appreciate it." Rick says.

"It's ain't a problem, Rick. You're here now, that's what matters."

Rick stops then, putting a hand on her left shoulder, "What happened to you won't happen to another member of our family, okay? We ain't gonna let this Governor get our people. We're safe here."

Beth wanted to believe him.

\----------------------------

Beth was on watch for the night with Daryl, it was a cool and breezy night in comparison to the hot, sweltering Atlanta days.

She stood outside with Daryl, leaning on the railing. She crossed her arms along the railing careful of her sore shoulder and rested her head on her folded arms.

She felt the cool metal of the necklace run across her neck, being reminded of her mother.

"What you thinkin' 'bout, Girl?" Daryl asks, leaning against the railing facing her.

"My Mama. Sometimes it's easy to forget just how much I miss her. Do you miss your family?"

Daryl snorts then, "Hell no."

"What about your brother?" Beth asks, hoping she's not crossing a line.

"He's gone. Was only one I could count on... even then he was pretty shitty." Daryl explains.

"Why?" 

Daryl started to tell her of his childhood. His mother and father. While not going into great detail, Beth could tell there was a deep pain there.

"It was just Me and Merle for a long time. Ridin' through different places. Stayin' in shitty motels. We had some good times, some shit times. But it was just us so it mattered, ya know?" Beth nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of Merle in Daryl's life. They had clung to each other, blood before anything else.

"He was a son of a bitch though. Always getting in to bar fights, messing with gangs and dealers. Tough son of a bitch. That bitchin' cost him a hand."

"What?" Beth stood up at this, she had never heard much of Daryl's brother and already she was thoroughly intrigued. Merle seemed like quite the character.

"Yeah. Was before we were at the farm. Rick cuffed him to a roof for bein' a dick. Got himself outta that one good. Ain't know where he is now. If he's still alive. But he got out. Probably still kickin' somewhere."

"Do you miss him?" Daryl shrugs noncommittally at that, brushing off his brother's absence like it wasn't a big deal. Beth decided not to push that matter any further.

"Do you know anythin' about the stars? I always wanted to learn but never got the chance to. Thought of even maybe taking a course in college about astronomy." Beth changed the subject with ease. She saw some of the tension leave Daryl's body, thoughts of his past pushed aside.

"I ain't know if I'm up to college standards but I can tell you somethin'." Daryl shifted closer to her, starting to point at the sky explaining the things he saw, telling Beth what he knew.

His voice was soothing and lulling. Beth decided it was one of her favorite sounds. Along with the birds chirping in the morning, Judith's giggles and the noises in the prison, filled with the voices of the people she loved.

She leaned over towards him capturing his lips with hers, his words cutting off at her interruption, kissing him slowly. Feeling the sensation of his lips on hers. He pulled her closer, his hand at the base of her neck, tilting her head towards him, closing the distance between their bodies. Her hands trailed up his chest, she rested them there feeling his heartbeat beneath her hand.

His heart was racing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! Hope you liked the chapter. Thank you so much for reading. Also, if you celebrate, I hope you have Merry Christmas!  
> Let me know what you think!


	11. Untitled Love Affair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not updating in so long. Sorry. Sorry!!!

Beth's shoulder had been healing well. Or so her father said. It was still causing Beth a bit of trouble to lift heavy- or not so heavy- things. But she guessed it was to be suspected.

She was finally able to go on runs for the first time in weeks. Maggie had been hesitant, still concerned for Beth's safety and well being. She wasn't only worried about Beth's healing wound, she was worried about what caused it.

Well, more like who.

There had been no trace of the Governor in the weeks following the attack. It should have been a good sign but it just made Beth feel anxious. She sometimes felt like he was out there.

Watching her.

The run went well and there was no sign of any immediate danger. But Beth still couldn't shake the feeling. It was even worse at the prison.

Maggie had been distant lately. Even with her sisters constant worrying, Beth had noticed that Maggie seemed to go out of her way to avoid her. Beth tried to think of what she could have possibly done to anger Maggie to a point where she wouldn't even look at her. Beth felt lonely without the constant companionship of her sister.

She had Daryl though. They had been doing a whole 'secret rendezvous' situation around the prison, sneaking off when they had the time. It was exciting and thrilling. Beth knew if Daryl ever found out she was calling it that, he would never let it go.

What she had with Daryl started off as awkward as anything, but eventually, Daryl had grown more comfortable with what they had. He wasn't still comfortable with what the others would think but... that was still a work in progress for Beth. Daryl was still wary in aspects of their... 'secret times' together, with Beth usually being the one to initiate most of the kissing side of things.

They hadn't really talked about what this was that occurred between them. There was no name, no label put upon them.

It was an untitled love affair.

She had been put on Judith duty more with her shoulder being out of action, but Rick was sure of not letting her take all of the reigns. Beth was glad that he had stepped up as a father. She was also glad of the somewhat regular sleeping pattern she gained because of it.

Beth was in the kitchen area feeding Judith. The new inmates who had recently joined their group surrounded her. Axel and Oscar were actually nice company, Beth was surprised to find out. Although, Axel still had some 'social skills' to develop, and the fact that they were ex-cons also was hard to adjust to. But, they seemed harmless to Beth.

"Come on, Judy. Bottle time." Beth was trying to eat her breakfast while feeding Judith. With the little baby teething, she had not been as enthusiastic about food as she had in the past.

" 'ere, let me." With her bountiful amounts of time spent in the prison she had been having newly found conversations with Oscar, she had found out a great deal about him. He used to have two wonderful sons, and he was great at getting a fussy Judith to have her food.

"Thanks, Oscar." Beth moved from her seat allowing the man to take her place. She leaned against the counter, picking up her breakfast bowl and spooning mouthfuls of clumpy oatmeal into her mouth. It was strange how a former prisoner was caring for one of the most important people in the world to her, though, in a world like this, Beth had seen weirder things.

"Scooch over, sister." Glenn said as he approached, leaning on the counter next to her. He had started calling her 'sister' a while back after he revealed to her that he was going to propose to Maggie. Beth had started crying that minute.

Glenn and Beth had been scouring stores when they went on the run and looking at walkers hands for, what Glenn refers to as, the 'perfect ring'.

There had been discarded diamonds and ruby jewels but Glenn said none of them came close to what was perfect for Maggie. Beth loved Glenn that little bit extra- if that was even possible.

"Sister-in-law," Beth corrects, "Why must you keep callin' me that?"

"Because I want to strengthen our bond. We'll be related once I find," He looks around seeing if Maggie's in the vicinity, "The _perfect_ ring." He finished in a whisper.

"Our _bond_ has already been strengthened enough don't you think? What with cuttin' off walker fingers and all the near-death experiences." Beth jokes, already seeing Glenn as a brother figure.

"Maybe. _But_ , our lives will forever be connected by the love that Maggie and I share. You'll probably be her maid of honor, you know." Glenn states, grimacing at the horrid oatmeal he was eating.

Beth puts her bowl on the counter next to her, sighing before lowering her voice to sound her concerns to Glenn. "I don't know about that anymore. I've barely seen Maggie lately. Unless she's rattlin' off about concerns for my safely or constantly worryin', I hardly see her! Do you know what's goin' on?"

Glenn thinks for a moment before replying, "You know, I have noticed she has been a bit skittish lately but I have no idea what it's about. I've tried talking to her about it but she says it's nothing. I can tell she's lying though. But, I just figured she'll tell me when she's ready."

Beth rubs her hand along her forehead, stressed about her strained relationship with Maggie. The only way she could find out what was wrong was from talking to her sister.

"Thanks, Glenn. I'll figure it out. See you later on watch tonight."

With a mouthful of oatmeal, Glenn gives a muffled "Bye, Sis!" as a farewell. Beth searches the prison top to bottom for any sign of her sister. She's not in the usual places they are supposed to be.

She stops outside of the common area where the guards used to take their breaks when they worked at the prison. No one usually went inside because of the awful smell of death. There she saw her sister, sitting on the couch with her head in her hands, looking as down as Beth had ever seen.

She slowly opened the door as to not startle Maggie. "Maggs, it's just me."

Maggie startles anyway. "Gosh, Beth. You scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry, Maggie. I was just lookin' for you." Beth pauses before continuing, letting the awkward silence stretch for a while, seeing if Maggie will start the conversation first. "What's goin' on, Maggie?"

Maggie looks at her. It's a different look. Almost as if she's not really seeing Beth but looking straight through her. She looks unfocused around the room before she starts speaking.

"I've been so worried about you, Beth. I mean first, you're shot by a madman! Then- Then you're doing... that!" Maggie's hands flare in that air putting a strong emphasis on Beth's wrongdoings... If Beth knew what they were.

"Maggie, what are you talkin' about?"

"I was comin' to keep you and Daryl company on your watch but it looked like I didn't need to."

"What, Maggie?" Beth was utterly confused by the whole thing.

"I saw it, Beth!," She pauses looking around as if people were on this side of the prison all the time, "I saw you kiss Daryl!" Maggie whispers in a scandalized tone.

Beth froze. She felt like she couldn't move. Maggie knew. "Maggie, you can't tell daddy." Beth still hadn't thought of how she was going to tell them about Daryl. Maggie's secrecy was of the utmost importance.

"Beth! He's too old for you!" Maggie looks at Beth, seeming as if she doesn't understand what she was entirely doing.

"He ain't that old." Beth says defensively.

"He's old enough to be your father... Okay, maybe not that old. But he could have been a teen dad." Maggie tries to explain to Beth while seeming bemused by her own words.

"I'm 18, Maggie. It's not a big deal."

Maggie gets up then and walks out of the room. "I can't deal with you, Beth."

"Maggie!" Beth shouts following her sister down the halls. Hoping she hasn't attracted the attention of the other people in the prison."Stop, walkin' so fast. I can't keep up."

"Maybe you shouldn't be so short then." Maggie yells back, not slowing down.

"Maggie. You know I'm right. I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself." The pair comes to a stop outside of Maggie's cell having walked their way through the prison.

Beth lowers her voice before continuing. "Don't you want me to be happy"

"Of course I want that," Maggie sighs, "...look it's just different I mean. You're my baby sister, you and daddy are all I have left of our family. I'm going to worry about you regardless."

"Maggie-" Beth starts but Maggie cuts her off.

"Does he make you happy?"

"Yes." Beth states without hesitation.

Maggie just sighs in return.

She looks like the words she is about to say are a pain to get out, "Just tell me he's not forcing anythin' on you and I'll let it go."

Beth sighs in relief, "He's not, Maggie. I promise."

"Oh God, Beth." Maggie looks as if she can't believe the situation. "I can't believe you're dating someone older than you! To be honest I always thought it would be me who would have the boyfriend daddy wouldn't approve of."

"Me too," Beth says laughing at Maggie's face, "Hey! You said it first!" Maggie starts laughing with her, then stops for a second, giving Beth a hard look, thinking about something she hadn't considered.

"Are you two... you know. Safe."

"Oh my God, Maggie, it's not like that." Beth says, she feels the heat begin to bloom in her cheeks.

"Yet." Maggie says pointedly. "I saw that kiss. It wasn't exactly innocent."

"Maggie-" Beth starts before she's cut off.

"Beth, I'm just looking out for you."

"Okay, gosh." Beth's face literally felt like fire, She had never been more embarrassed.

"I mean, Glenn and I have had a fair share of close calls-" Maggie starts.

"Maggie, I'm begging you-"

"There was one time I seriously thought-"

"Stop-" Beth was passed embarrassed now.

"But it was just a false alarm-" Maggie continues.

"Maggie!" Beth all but yells.

"Alright. I'm just sayin'. You gotta be careful."

"Fully understood, Maggie." Beth hopes the conversation was coming to an end now.

"Good."

They both look at each other and burst out laughing. It's kind of hard to stop. Both girls have tears in their eyes and are doubled over from the force of laughing.

"Gosh, this reminds me of times at the farm. Remember when Mama gave Shawn the sex talk." Maggie says.

"Good Lord, we were in tears. Until we got the talk ourselves." Beth says remembering the look on Shawn's face.

Glenn comes into the cell then, sitting on the two cots that the pair pushed together, talking off his boots for the day. "What are you guys laughing about? It was so loud we could hear it from outside."

Beth gives Maggie a look. She loves Glenn with all her heart, but he couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it.

Maggie registers this and says, "Nothing much. Just talkin' about when we were younger."

"Nice. Just sisters being sisters." He says, looking at Beth to see if everything was okay with Maggie. She smiles in reply.

"Alright. I'm off now. Bye, guys." Beth says exiting the cell.

"Bye, Beth." Maggie said, giving her sister a hug conveying everything was alright between them. Beth was happy she had her sister back.

"Later, si- I mean, Beth." Came Glenn's reply.

She turns out off the cell dorms, passing the kitchens on the way out. Daryl is perched atop of the counter. Rick is sitting on the bench next to Carl. He's talking about what to do with the generator to Daryl.

"Hey," Beth says as a greeting to all.

"Hey," Rick and Carl say back, Daryl nods his reply.

She sits next to Carl, he's got his gun out on the table in front of him. Beth worries for him sometimes but Rick has assured her that while Lori's death was hard on Carl-obviously- he was dealing the best he could. He just needed time.

He smiles up at Beth and starts telling her about how Rick was going to let him start going through all the prison rooms.

"I don't know if it's actually a good thing or a punishment-"

"Carl-" Rick starts.

"-BUT, I'm just happy to have something to do. Plus, who wouldn't want to explore an empty prison." Beth has to agree with him there.

"Alright, kid. Sun's settin'. You wanna go grab Judith from Carol. I think they took her up on watch with Maggie." Rick clamps a hand down on Carls' shoulder as thanks.

After Carl leaves Rick turns towards Beth, a tense look in his eyes. "I was thinkin' 'bout maybe going back to the place where you'n Daryl ran into this 'Governor'. See if we can trace his path, maybe find a place where his stayin'."

Beth feels woozy, she hates the thought of ever going back to that place, let alone someone else she loves going there. "I don't know... He executed someone for reasons we don't know. I'd hate if he was still hangin' around, just waitin' for us to come back."

Rick runs a hand through his hair. "That's what I was thinkin', but I don't know why he'd stick around for so long. It's been weeks, Beth."

She looks to Daryl, wanting his input on the situation. Daryl puts his food on the counter next to him. Beth can tell they have a similar view point on the situation, but Daryl trusts Rick and his judgment. "I think we should wait a bit longer. Who knows why that asshole would stick 'round, but it needs checkin' out. "

Carl walks back into the room and all conversation stops. "Well, I gotta go on watch with Maggie now. Night, everyone." She gives a small smile to Daryl as she leaves.

Beth starts making her way to watch. Usually when Maggie's on watch Glenn always happens to join them. Not that she minds though, he always came up with different ways to make the shift exciting. Beth realized just how much she truly cared for Glenn and was happy that they would soon actually be family- when he _finally_ finds the perfect ring.

The sun had just started to set but they were not in darkness yet. Beth saw two small figures approaching the fenced entrance. She thought she might as well dispose of the walkers before her watch started. She started walking towards the fence with her knife at the ready but when she got a closer look she stopped dead in her tracks.

What Beth supposed were walkers were not walkers at all. They couldn't be. A woman approached the fence first, looking directly at Beth. Then she saw the person on the woman's' left and nearly fell to her knees.

It was Andrea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's chapter 11. I am so sorry once again. It has nearly been a year since the last update and I hate myself for it. I really got into Star Wars, then I went on holiday, University started again. Ughh. I'm just so sorry. But here's the next chapter. I promise the next update won't be long!!


	12. A Calm Façade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, thanks to everyone for reading!!

> Andrea and Michonne, whose name they finally learned, had been in contact with the 'Governor'. When Beth heard this she was nearly sick. But the accounts that Andrea had told them about seemed vastly different from what they had experienced. Once Andrea was all caught up on the on going's at the prison and tried to deal with the loss of Lori, she started with introducing the group to Michonne, whom she met after she got separated from the group at the farm. They had been steadily looking out for each other when Andrea had fallen quite ill and had been welcomed into a secluded community.

"The man who runs it is called the 'Governor'. Can you believe that? Stupid name, I know, but he was really charming." Andrea said with a laugh and a fond smile.

"The 'Governor'." Rick said in a tight voice.

"Yeah, strange but the community he's built could really last. There's people, secured walls, running water and electricity. Really something." Andrea said all this with a smile and Beth's blood was frozen. She really had no idea what he was capable of.

Andrea's companion, Michonne, looked doubtful and wouldn't give him any praise. In fact, she didn't really speak at all.

Beth suddenly realizes something that puts her on edge. "Andrea. How'd you know we'd be here, or that anyone was here? It's a prison, you wouldn't think anyone would be inside."

She looks at the other group members processing what she just said, seeing the blood drain from their faces. She wanted to run right that moment and take everyone she loved along with her.

Andrea laughs again, not understanding the fear that her words have placed in every person in the room. "Oh, we were leaving Woodbury, Michonne wasn't really happy staying with the Governor," She gives Michonne a look as if she's the crazy one, "So we were heading out and the Governor suggested that if we needed a place, there was an empty prison not too far out. I guess he didn't know you guys had moved in!"

Andrea was smiling, seemingly glad to be a part of the group again, happy to tell stories of this wonderful, charming man. The Man who had shot and tried to kill Beth, and Daryl. She felt sick to her stomach and she finally realized that her feelings were right.

The prison was being watched.

\-----------------------------------------------

They were going to tell Andrea everything, really. But Carl had wanted to show Andrea the prison, and well if that meant getting some alone time with Michonne, who were they to complain.

Beth had become aware that Andrea was a severely biased party towards the Governor, and if her companion, Michonne, could shed any true light on his personality, well what would it hurt if Andrea wasn't around to hear it.

The second Andrea was out of earshot the group all turned towards Michonne. She had clearly sensed their tense and uneasiness around any mention of the Governor.

"It's not her fault. Don't judge her." Is the only thing out of Michonne's mouth.

Rick lets out a gruff laugh, "We're not. We just wanna shed some light on why her experiences with _him_ is majorly different from ours"

"You've met him." Everything out of this woman's mouth made it seem as though she already knew the answer.

"Not like you'n Andrea. Never talked to him. All he's done is shoot one of my people and tried to kill two of them." Rick is tense, and Beth just wants to hear what Michonne will say.

"What we know of him and what's been told to us is two completely different stories. You've been 'round him most, what was he truly like?" Maggie speaks up for the first time, voice pleading for answers.

"What Andrea saw was a lie. She only saw what he wanted her to see. It's not her fault. When we got to Woodbury she was delirious, and a whole community had just 'saved' her. You can't blame her for being taken in by it all. By him."

"Woodbury?" Daryl speaks up for the first time.

"It's what they call their community." Michonne replies. "But the Governor, he's the head of it all. People there would do anything he says, they are brainwashed by him. He's got some heavy weaponry too."

The group all give sidelong glances to each other. They were clearly outmanned and outgunned.

"Can you tell us why the Governor's  _so_  charming yet tried to kill my people without warning?" Beth's hoping Andrea doesn't come back while Rick's like this.

"He puts on a calm façade but really, he capable of terrible things. I tried to get Andrea out earlier but she wanted to stay. He has a way with people, so they'll like him instantly, but he would kill anyone who got in his way. I saw him kill one of his men, just because they didn't do what he wanted."

"Look we gotta be prepared. I want people on watch at all hours, nothing gets anywhere near these walls without me knowing. Walker, animal, human. I need to hear about it. Now, do you know where this 'Woodbury' is exactly?" Rick turns towards Michonne looking for answers, they all do, and Beth just hopes that whatever happens, the group will be safe.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Andrea was informed over dinner of everything that was going on with the Governor. It wasn't fair to keep her in the dark any longer just because she thought someone was a good man. At first, she didn't believe it, couldn't; that was until Beth showed her the scar. Andrea had gone pale and was shocked that she had just spent the best part of the day praising the man who had almost killed Beth and Daryl.

Beth couldn't fault Andrea though, she had no idea of the man's true behavior. She thinks she would act in the same way if she found a place with running water, electricity, and safe walls. She can't blame Andrea, and no one else should either.

The group had no way of knowing where this 'Woodbury' was located. Michonne informed them earlier that they had been driven miles away from Woodbury and dropped off somewhere close to the prison. Rick, Glenn, Maggie and, Andrea had gone off to this location at immediately to see if they could spot any sign of the cars tire trail. But there was no hint of a car even crossing that path.

Whoever they were dealing with wanted to keep their presence as secret as possible.

Beth was currently sitting in her cell along with Judith. She had been tasked with looking after her, along with Carol and Carl, while Rick was away. She couldn't help noticing that the new woman, Michonne, kept looking at her with Judith; although Beth could tell her eyes were filled with a sadness.

"You can hold her...if you want." Beth says, with Judith on her hip heading out to the common area towards Michonne.

"No." Michonne replies quickly, casting her eyes away from Judith. "No, thank you."

Beth takes the hint and gives her a small smile before finding Carl to watch Judith for her while she's on watch.

She finds him sitting outside of the prison, staring intently at the fences, eyes wide open to catch any hint of danger. He's has his gun gripped steady in his hand and if she wasn't worried about the boy before, she certainly was now.

The look in his eyes was fierce and wary. He's seen too much for such a young boy and to finally have a place that they called home be so close to being snatched away from them again. Beth could understand why he was hurting.

That didn't mean she liked putting the weight of all this on his shoulders. Beth wished he got the childhood he deserved, not one where he had to put down his own mother to stop her from becoming a walker just moments after the birth of his sister. She didn't want that weighing on his mind.

"Hey, Carl." Beth approached him as cheerily as she could, hoping that some time with Judith might calm the boy down.

"Hey, Beth." He replied in a distracted way, eyes still peeled looking for signs of intruders.

"You gotta take Judith now, I'm goin' on watch," He placed the gun in his holster, and then Beth placed Judith in his outstretched arms and saw a little of the tension release from him. This baby could work wonders on people sometimes.

Balancing Judith in on arm, Carl grabs her arm before she starts to walk off for watch. "Beth, be careful, okay?"

Her heart breaks a little and she draws him in for a hug. "I always am. You don't need to worry 'bout me, Carl" She rubs his arm a little and gives him a parting smile before she leaves.

She wishes she could go off and cry somewhere mourning everything they have all collectively lost. But she won't. She has to protect her people. They will be okay, and alive, and happy.

She won't let anything, or anyone, stand in the way of that.

\----------------------------------------------------------

When the group returns with the news that they found nothing, it really sets the mood across the whole prison that day. Axel and Oscar have started going on regular watches now, and have moved into a closer set of cells, just in case something happens and they all need to be together.

Just in case.

Everyone's on edge about just about everything. Beth sneezed today and Maggie already had her knife drawn. The prison was no longer a sanctuary to them. It was a trap.

They had been going out in groups around the prison searching for any signs of someone lurking or watching them, but nothing had shown up since.

A few days later her father made progress on one of the generators in the prison, allowing light, and warm water to make the prison fully functional. Even if it did have to be limited. The victory did cheer everyone up for a moment, remembering that this place could actually be something great for them.

If they could protect it.

With the newly found electricity in the prison, Beth decided it was best to finally do some proper laundry. Beth had gathered up everyone's laundry that was way overdue for a good clean and started heading to the laundry room. Her own clothes stunk and she would be grateful to finally change into something clean once in a while.

The laundry room was pretty far from the main section of the prison they had been living in, but Beth liked the walk. She was finally able to explore a bit more now that Maggie's mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

Beth hates that thought and tries to erase it from her mind. She would give anything to make sure her family was safe, even if that meant Maggie was always hovering over her. At least Maggie would be there.

As she opens the door to the laundry room, shaking herself out of her thoughts, she notices a figure standing in the middle of the room. She drops the clothes and pulls her knife straight out ready to fight.

That is until she sees it's just Daryl.

He's got his crossbow laid down on one of the washers, a rag in hand cleaning one of the arrows. He looks over at her, "It's jus' me, ain't nothin' you need that knife for." He places the arrow down on the washing machine and walks over to help her pick up the clothes that went everywhere.

Beth hastily puts the knife back in its sheath and bends down to help him.

"You 'right there, Girl."

Beth looks up at him, her heart still racing from the scare. She didn't know anyone even came down this end of the prison. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't know anyone was down here."

She takes her haul of clothes to the nearest machine with Daryl following closely behind. She starts getting the washing ready. Beth supposes there's no use in separating the colors from the whites anymore and just throws them all in.

"I was jus' down here cleanin' my bow. It's quieter here." Daryl says as Beth starts the machine.

"Yeah. I know what you mean." She notices that they really are pretty secluded here, no one would even come to this side of the prison unless they needed to.

"You don't need to worry bout the Governor bein' in the prison. It's safe here, Beth."

"I know, but everyone's on edge, so I am too. It's just like we're all waitin' for somethin' bad to happen, for something to go wrong." She sighs, she wanted this to truly be their new home.

"'m sorry, Beth." Daryl mumbles and Beth can tell that this is hurting him too. Probably more than he'll ever let on.

She pulls him in for a hug, her arms going around his neck, face pressed against his chest. It's a beat of a moment before Daryl pulls her closer, arms wrapping around her waist. He takes a deep breath and puts his cheek on her head. He's warm and comforting and with the gentle hum of the machine in the background, Beth finds herself calmer than she has been in days. Even Daryl doesn't seem as tense anymore.

Beth wishes they could stay like this forever.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Beth had been put in one of the groups to go around the prison looking for signs of any disturbances. Maggie doesn't like it, nor her father, mostly because she was the one shot by the Governor. She would be in greater danger than the rest.

It probably doesn't help that she'll be going out with Daryl.

But Beth said they all had to take part in the duties equally, and no one could really convince her otherwise.

Maggie corners them just as they're about to leave. "Don't let anything happen to my sister, Dixon. You best watch out for her."

"I ain't goin' to be takin' my eyes off her." Maggie kind of stops at that and Beth blushes just because. But she knows he just means it in a protective way. But she likes the way it throws her sister off balance.

"Okay then. Good. You both watch out for each other though." Maggie's stuck and Beth knows she hasn't talked to Daryl a lot after finding out about them and Beth's thinks it's all kind of funny.

"We best be goin' now." Daryl turns around and starts heading down to the gate.

"Bye, Maggs." Beth says with a hug to her sister, Maggie squeezes her back in reply, then Beth makes her way to Daryl. She passes Glenn on the way and he held up his hand for a high five.

"Bye, Beth." Beth's hand meets his in a slap and she smiles in reply.

Daryl takes her to the outskirts of the woods, closest to the fence of the prison. Daryl was looking to see if there were any signs that someone had been near these parts of the woods. By the look on Daryl's face, Beth guessed that whoever was watching them hid their tracks pretty well.

"You 'right?" he asks in a quiet whisper.

"Yeah, you?" Daryl grunts his response before heading further into the woods, bow raised, after finding nothing noteworthy.

Beth turns around looking back at the prison. From here she had a clear view of the prison, but if anyone was watching the prison from here, they would be well hidden.

There's a rustle in the trees next to them and Daryl steps in front of Beth, taking aim at the source of the noise. It turns out to be a snake slithering in the leaves beside them, but they leave it to be. Enough things have died around here.

"You don't need to protect me like that, I can take care of myself." Beth says, wanting Daryl not to put himself in unnecessary danger because of her.

"I know, but I ain't bout to let anything like that happen to ya again." He says motioning to Beth's scar which comes to a stop just above her t-shirt.

Beth smiles a little despite herself before giving Daryl's hand a small squeeze saying "It wasn't your fault. I promise."

Daryl looks down at her opening his mouth to say something else before they hear another sound in the woods.

The sound of a groaning Walker has broken through the quiet revive of the woods. She looks around to see if she can spot it before it gets too close to them.

They keep walking through the woods, the Walkers groans getting louder every passing moment, when Daryl suddenly exclaims, "Son of a bitch."

She moves over to where Daryl's is standing. A piece of rope stays swinging from a tree where a person, now a walker, must have fallen from the tree and accidentally hung themselves. Beth can tell that the person must have been watching them from that tree and fallen getting caught in the rope as they went down.

"From where we're at, bet you go high 'nough in that tree you'd get a pretty good view 'f the prison. " Daryl says, looking up and examining just how high the rope goes.

"Why has no one come back for him? If they have been hidin' for so long, they'd wanna keep this a secret. Right?" She turns to Daryl but sees him immediately tense up.

"Cause they wanted us to find 'im." He says in a whisper that makes Beth's skin crawl at the thought.

Then she sees something, at first she thinks it's just another walker, she can hear quite a few groans and maybe they should start heading back before there's too much of them. But it's not a walker.

It's a human.

The man smiles and Beth wants to throw up. There's not enough time to react.

He lifts his arm and Beth sees the gun in his hand, he fires one shot in the direction behind them. Daryl throws them both to the floor, anticipating further gunshots, but Beth sees the man start to run.

She jumps up to go after him but it's too late. The sound of walkers had gotten closer and before she knows it they are surrounded.

A herd of walkers coming straight at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably a really bad time to start writing this story again because I have exams coming up. So if I don't update in a while, that's why! I really like the potential of this story but won't be able to write as frequently as I could, so sorry! But, the next update shouldn't be too long of a wait!! Also, thank you so much for reading!!!


	13. A Harsh Reality

_"Bethy! Come on sweetie, you're goin' to be late" Her mothers' voice is soft and sweet, flowing down the hall to where Beth lays in her bed. She doesn't know how she got here, but she's comfortable and warm. She never wants to leave. Everything looks hazy like she's not really seeing it through her eyes. She's in her room, and everything looks like it has a yellowish filter, but she doesn't understand what's wrong, her mind won't catch up._

_Her door is suddenly flung open and Maggie stands there. Maggie. She's clean and her hair is pulled up in a bun. She's so pretty. "You wanna get up now before your late for school. Otis is taking you and Shawn today. I got my job interview." Maggie says with a smile on her face before she comes closer whispering to Beth "I can always tell Mamma you're not feeling well?" Beth has no idea what's going on but her mothers here, and this jars her because why wouldn't her mother be here. And whatever's going on Beth doesn't care, because for some reason she just wants to see her mother's face._

_"No...It's okay. I'm-I'm good." Beth is confused. But Maggie is here and so is her mother, and so is Shawn._

_Beth throws her arms around Maggie's neck, knocking Maggie somewhat off balance before she's laughing and hugging Beth back just as hard. "Geez, Beth. What's got into you today?" Maggie's smiling and Beth's so happy._

_"_ _I just... You look great, good luck today." Beth says as she pulls away for Maggie, Maggie looks a little skeptical but she smiles anyway. It's just another normal day._

_"Thanks, Beth. Gosh, I'm nervous. You sure I look alright? I mean, I was showin' Glenn the other day and-_

_"Glenn." Beth knows something's wrong, she's never heard of a Glenn before. She's more confused now than ever._

"Yeah, and he said I looked fine but I mean, he's Glenn and well-" _Maggie's cut off by the sound of her mother._

_"Beth! Come on now, Maggie, I thought I said to wake her up!" Her mom's voice is so comforting and she doesn't care what's wrong with this world she just wants to see her Mamma._

_"_ _We're comin', Mamma!" Maggie yells out as Beth makes her way down the stairs._

_She enters the kitchen and her mother there, a plate of pancakes in her hand and a small smile on her face as she talks to Beth's father, he looks up at her mother, love, and adoration clear in his eyes. She's so beautiful and Beth wants to cry but she doesn't understand. It's just her Mamma that she sees every day._

_But this is different and she doesn't know why and she's so confused and before she knows it she's crying._

_"_ _Beth, come and get some- Oh! Bethy, what's wrong sweetheart." Beth is scooped into her mother's hug, and her emotions are overwhelming. Her mother's scent is the first thing that hits her, it smells like home. She feels so safe here, but she doesn't understand why safety is such a big deal. She's always safe here._

 _"_ _Mamma..." Beth's arms are tight around her mother, face buried in her neck._

_"Aww, what's the matter. Jimmy finally dump you?" It's Shawn. She looks over the table and sees Maggie slap him across the back of the head. Shawn. Why does she miss him so much when he's right there. He smirks and shoves a mound of pancakes into his mouth, grinning at Beth in the process._

_"Come on, Sweetheart. Ignore your brother, come get some breakfast." Her mother steps out of their hug and over to the table. Beth feels cold._

_"Hey, Maggs. You ready to go?" A strange man says stepping beside her. She's never seen him before, Beth's sure of it, but he looks so familiar it hurts Beth head to think about._

_"Yeah, I'm ready, Glenn." Beth knows him from somewhere, but she's sure she's never met a Glenn in her life. Then she notices a ring on Maggie's hand and remembers something._

_He found the_ perfect _ring... But the memory looks different and Glenn was covered in dirt and muck, but so was she. And Beth starts to figure it out but she doesn't want to. She can't leave this place._

 _"Mr. and Mrs. Greene, so sorry for the interruption." A man in a Police uniform steps up and she knows this man, it's Rick. But he's different. Then Lori enters behind him, with Carl trailing her steps. She has a baby in her arms._ Judith _._

_She doesn't want to leave. She's remembering things too fast and the haze is slipping. Andrea's there, but she's with Michonne; Carol's there with Axel and Oscar, and she spots him over in the corner._

_Daryl._

_He looks clean and happy, but still such a stark picture in her kitchen area. He has a necklace in his hand, the one that looks exactly like her Mamma's. The one he gave to her that day she kissed him. He's cradling it so carefully in his hand like it would break with a mere touch. He extends his hand to her, smirking a little waiting for her to approach him._

_They all look at her smiling and happy; clean and safe. She feels so relieved. Beth's back on the farm and everyone she loves is here. But then the smiles fall from their faces._

_Blood pools out of their mouths, and suddenly they're snarling. Their flesh has rotted before her very eyes._

_They reach for her, clawing for any part of skin they can get, before her mother's dead eyes meet hers and then she sinks her teeth into Beth's neck._

Beth's awake, she knows she is, but her eyes won't open. Her head hurts too much to even think of moving. She cracks an eye open, light hurting her head even more. She tries to move her arms, but they seem like a dead weight attached to her body.

Beth's eyes adjust to the room around her and she knows she's not at the prison or even the farm for that matter. The dream makes her shudder. Her mother had felt so real in her arms. What a harsh reality to wake up to.

"And so she wakes. Finally. We've been waiting for you, Beth." The voice sends chills down her spine. A figure comes into her line of vision.

The Governor stands above her smiling down at her.

"We've been waiting _so_ long for you, Beth."

\-----------------------------

They are surrounded by walkers.

It had been a trap, luring them near the dead walker, making sure they were focused enough to not notice the persons presence.

Beth had her knife out and was taking out the walkers closest to her, while Daryl was expertly using his bow, desperately trying to make a dent in the slew of walkers heading their way. Beth sunk her knife into every walker's head that she could, discarding their bodies once she was sure they were dead.

Sometimes it was hard to remember they were once people too.

She feels something grab the back of her shirt, and she swings around to kill the walker, but it's just Daryl grabbing her and pulling her through the gap they had finally made. "We've gotta get 'em away from the prison. Too many of 'em could take the whole thing down."

Daryl and Beth are running through the woods, making sure the walkers are following close behind, taking out as many as they can on the way. There's more now than Beth realized before, and the Walkers are so close at this point, they can touch her.

But she ducks and darts out the way. Running as fast as she can, one grabs her hair, but Daryl takes it out with one of his remaining arrows. The woods start to disperse when she realizes they have run all the way to a small town close to the prison. She almost trips on the graveled road when one of the walkers hold onto her arm, but she pulls it along with her, smashing its head into one of the light posts in the street.

Daryl pulls her to one of the houses on the street, barely closing the door behind them as the herd of walkers slams up against the door. The smell in the house hits them first but time isn't on their side to complain. She turns to look for anything to hold the door in place and is met face first with another walker.

Beth tries to fight it off and falls over another dead body on the floor, she grips the walker's neck in her hands and pushes the blade into its skull. The dead weight is knocked off of her when Daryl pulls her to her feet. A bookshelf and a coffee table are all that protects them from the walkers outside.

Beth makes headway up the stairs, cautious of more walkers lurking up on the second level.

"This house has a sloped roof, if we can get on there, it'd buy us some time." Beth states as Daryl pushes open a bedroom door. It must have been a kids room before, the walls have small paintings of dinosaurs covering it. Beth sees the child dead in her bed. This family thought they would never make it.

Daryl pushes up one of the windows in the room but the roof doesn't come to this side of the house. He closes it and pulls Beth down the hallway to the bathroom.

The sound of splintering wood alerts them that the walkers are now in the house. Daryl pushes the window up, the roof connects to this side of the house but it's further down than Beth would have liked. She hoists herself on the ledge, pain radiates from her shoulder. She has to be more careful but there's no time.

Beth jumps from the window landing on her side, pain sparking in her shoulder again. Daryl falls alongside her, swearing as he jumped. Her shoulder's throbbing as she tries to pull herself up and along the roof. Daryl helps her up and guides her to the more secluded part of the roof. Walkers can't see them from here. Walkers cover the whole ground below them.

They stay on the roof till nightfall, hoping that they walkers will disperse, Beth hopes that the amount of walker blood and guts that cover them will be enough to mask their scent. They sit together, side by side, loud groans of walkers filling the air with noise. 

Beth takes Daryl's hand and grips it tightly. "Thanks for watchin' out for me today."

"Like I said, I ain't goin' to let anythin' happen to you." He pauses for a minute, his grip tightening on her hand. "But, you're capable, Beth. Stronger than ya realize."

\----------------------------------------

Beth and Daryl arrive at the prison sometime the next day, the walkers somewhat disappeared from the house enough for them to escape without notice. They had to take a long way round to the prison for fear that the Walkers would follow them and cause trouble for the prison.

Or that someone else would follow them.

Beth can tell that their disappearance from the prison sent the group into a panic. As they enter the gate Maggie throws her arms tight around her sister's neck, then abruptly pulls back, searching for any signs of bit marks or wounds covering her body.

"Are you okay, Beth? What happen? I was so worried." Maggie's at the point of tears and Beth's too tired to explain, she just lets herself be held in Maggie's warm embrace. Then she notices three other people, who she has never seen before, standing a distance away from the group giving everyone their privacy, but still not knowing exactly where to go.

"Uh, Maggs?" Beth motions her head towards the new people asking for clarification.

"Oh. Right. Beth, these were some people that lived at Woodbury-" Beth's face goes pale and Maggie notices before quickly correcting herself, "-No! I mean the governor kicked them out ages ago. Michonne thought they were killed, but we found them 'round the prison nearly dehydrated so we brought 'em in. Michonne and Andrea can vouch for 'em, we checked."

The woman approaches her first, "Hi. I'm Sasha," She says with a little wave, clearly still uncomfortable being here, "And this is my Brother Tyreese, and our friend T-Dog. We heard you were missing and thought the Governor might have got you. He's been watching your group for quite some time now." She finishes looking a little worried. Beth wonders what they went through with the Governor and hopes they're all okay.

"Inside everyone, group meetin'. Carl, go on watch with Axel and Oscar-"

"Dad! It's not fair-"

"I'll let you know later, Carl. Go." Rick's voice is stern and Carl goes off to the Watchtower clearly mad at his father. "You two gotta let us know what happened out there."

The all enter the prison, sitting in the common area of the cell block, Daryl leans against the wall, so Beth joins him. She's worried about what will happen. She doesn't want to leave the prison but if it's not safe for their family anymore what else can be done?

"It's goin' be alright, Beth" Daryl says in a whisper for only her to hear, as if sensing her nerves about the situation. The group looks up at them expectantly, eager to know what happened to them. After they finish explaining everything, silence falls over the group. No one knows what to do. They have never faced a threat like this before. Walkers almost seem like a piece of cake to deal with.

Her father first speaks up "We can't leave here. We can't let him take this from us."

"I know, but if it ain't safe here anymore, what can we do?" Rick asks looking for suggestions.

"We protect it. Hershel's right, we can't let them take this from us. They have a heavy weaponry, we'll get one too. This was a prison, we have more guns than we could ever need. Have none of you seen the riot gear and guns we collected along the way when we cleaned out this prison? There's at least three or four dozen"

They all look to Carol and judging by the look on everyone's faces, this was new information to them. They had never done a weapon inventory or any kind of inventory. They hadn't been settled in long enough to start thinking about that kind of stuff.

"We can protect it. It's the best thing we've had since the farm. Let us keep our home, please." Carol's voices sound so broken. She's lost everything to her and another semblance of hope would be lost too.

Rick looks determined. They finally have one good thing, a home, a community of their own. While it may be small, it is theirs. The group collectively cleared it, cleaned it, and changed it for the better. Protect the prison was the goal.

"My mind's made up but if anyone has any different opinions, share 'em now." No one speaks, they have collectively decided. "Okay, this prison is our home now. So we protect it."

\-----------------------------------------

It had been three weeks since the group decided to stay and protect the prison, to fight for the home they made here, and the prison had changed significantly.

Watch schedules had been drawn up, with people in the main watch tower 24/7, as well as round the block checks of the perimeter. They had noticed that the back of the prison was most unprotected, as the main focus had been to protect the entrance, now someone was always tasked with perimeter checks. With the new people who had arrived at the prison, this was achieved easier than it would have been before but they were more than willing. The Governor had tried to kill them and they weren't going to let that happen again.

The new group members had settled into the routine of the prison fairly well, happy with finally having the safety (even if it was questionable at times) of the prison walls. Tyreese and T-dog were naturals with Judith and had surprisingly taken on some of the baby watching duties. Sasha was one of the kindest and funniest people Beth had ever met, but she was also one of the strongest and would do anything to protect her brother, Tyreese. It reminded her of Maggie and herself.

The fences of the prison had been fortified with barbed wiring at the top of the fences and any compromised fences replaced immediately. They had an evacuation plan in play now if all things turned for the worst and everyone was assigned a gun.

Beth preferred her knife to the gun, being more skilled at holding it and understanding how to properly wound with it, but it was a necessity now and one Beth gladly accepted.

Beth had just come off watch duty with Daryl. They had found the common area, which no one really ventured down to, secluded and quiet where they could just be together without the interruptions of anyone. It had been tough with all the changes happening at the prison, but Daryl and Beth always made sure to see one another throughout the day, and eventually had fallen into the pattern of meeting in the common area.

"But Merle was an idiot like that, never thinkin' bout what was gonna happen." They were sitting on one of the cleaner couches in the room, Beth's head in Daryl's lap, while he told her stories of his brother's antics.

"Kinda reminds me of my brother...well Shawn never got high on meth then arrested for public indecency... but he was kind of an idiot too." Beth sighs, "I really miss him though." Beth touches the necklace hanging around her neck, ever since Daryl gave it to her in that old antique store and her shoulder had healed from the gunshot wound, she hadn't taken it off. It reminded her of her mother and Shawn. Of the Farm. Beth missed them dearly.

"Maggie came to talk yesterday." Daryl says, cutting through the silence.

"What? What did she say?" Beth sits up to face Daryl. She hopes Maggie wasn't too harsh on him.

"Nothin' much. She just said that she trusts me and knows I'll protect you... But if I ever hurt you she'll cut my balls off." Beth breaks out into laughter. Maggie gives compliments with threats.

"Sorry, sorry." Beth says through her laughter. "It's just so  _typical_ Maggie."

"Yeah, well she ain't need to go threatenin' me. I ain't plan on hurtin' you. Ever."

Beth stops and turns to look at Daryl, she can tell that he means it with every fiber of his being. She surges forward, responding to the sudden electricity between them, and kisses him, hard and passionate. She hoists herself onto his lap, with help from Daryl, to get better access to his lips. She runs her hands along the back of his neck, and follow them up into his hair. His grip is steadfast on her waist and his hands travel up and along her back. She lets her hand find his chest, feeling the broad plains through his shirt. Every inch of her being feels like it has been sparked by electricity.

"Oh my god!" Beth jumps back from Daryl to see Glenn in the doorway, shock written all over his face. "Oh my god! Maggie is going to kill you both. Oh my god. Dude! You're dead, like actually dead. I can't believe it. Oh my god." Glenn was starting to freak out and Beth started to try to calm him down.

"Glenn, calm down! Maggie already knows. Okay! Clam down." Beth probably looks like a disheveled sight but Glenn was in too much of a panic to notice.

"What! How! How are you still alive?"

"Look, we talked about it, and I was goin' to tell you too but I was just waitin' for the right time. Plus, you know you can't keep a secret." Beth tries to deal with the situation while Daryl just looks embarrassed.

"Oh my god! I can't keep a secret! Hershel will know by sundown! I can't do this, Beth"

"Come on, Glenn. Look, go talk to Maggie. She'll calm you down. You have to do this for me, Glenn" Beth tries to reason with him. She thinks he probably won't tell anyone. Glenn still looks shocked when he leaves and she hears Daryl let out a breath behind her.

" 'Least he didn't threaten me like Maggie did."

\-------------------------------

Beth was on perimeter duty for the night with Glenn. She hadn't seen him since the afternoon when he walked in on Daryl and herself. He looked a little embarrassed but still happy to see her.

"So... I had a talk with Maggie and she seemed pretty alright with the idea of... You know. I mean, I never would have guessed, and I mean NEVER, but if you're happy, I'm happy. But... I would appreciate to never walk in on that again"

Beth laughs and smiles up at Glenn, he really is a kind soul in a world of horror. "That can be arranged. Look... I know it might be weird for you, but I am happy. Thanks for not tellin' anyone."

Glenn grimaces at that, "Yeah, don't be too quick with your thanks, there's still time"

"Glenn-"

"I'm not trying to actively tell people! It would just slip out! But you're going to be my sister-in-law soon, and I would do anything to protect you. So, your trust means the world to me and, goddamn, I will try and take this secret to my grave."

Beth starts laughing, "So dramatic, Glenn! But thank you. Speaking of, find any good rings on the last run?" Beth was hoping to take his mind off everything, he had been a loyal and trusting friend and she was grateful for his secrecy.

"I don't know, I think I'm overthinking it all now. She deserves the perfect ring and more but, I remember her telling me this story, of how when she was younger she wanted a simple ring, but a yellow diamond. Maybe she told you?"

They had come to the side of the prison now, checking all the fencing and for any signs of intrusion. Glenn bends down to inspect the wiring while Beth recalls the memory, "We went to Atlanta City for a week when Maggie was 15. There was a special screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Plaza Theatre. Mamma loved it so we all went and saw it. Maggie fell in love with the style of the era, and everything Audrey Hepburn. She saw these photos of Audrey Hepburn in this Yellow Diamond necklace and said she wanted her engagement ring to be a yellow diamond."

"Sounds nice, I don't know where I could get a yellow diamond round these parts." Glenn sighed.

"They were pretty expensive too, but good thing now is that you don't have to pay for one." They head round to the back of the prison. It's darker on this side and more secluded. Beth pulls her torch from her pack and Glenn does the same."Glenn, honestly, Maggie's not the same person she was when she was 15. Any ring you get her would be the _perfect_ ring. As long as it came from you."

Beth was illuminated in torchlight, finally able to see more of her surroundings. "Yeah, you're right, I know... I just wished that I coul-" Glenn's cut off and suddenly falls to the ground. A man stands above him, gun gripped in his hand, and must have hit Glenn in the head with the handle of the gun. He aims the gun at Beth but she's faster. Beth lets the torch fall to the ground and grabs the mans arm, aiming the gun at the floor but away from Glenn. She brings her knee up into his stomach and as he doubles down, she slams her elbow into his spine. The gun falls to the floor and she races to pick it up. She takes aim but the person is still on the ground, then she hears Glenn start groaning from the floor beside her in pain. With the gun still aimed at the assailant, she bends down to make sure Glenn's alright.

"Glenn? You okay? Glenn?"

"Mmmm." Came Glenn's pained reply.

"Come on, we have to alert the others befor-" Beth feels a sharps pain in the back of her head and falls to the floor beside Glenn. Her head starts swimming and she thinks she's seeing stars before she realizes that it is actually the stars that she can see. Beth's head is all hazy and she's lying on her back looking up at the sky, she reaches her arm over to feel Glenn's presence, and he's just there lying next to her.

Beth's vision crosses in and out and she may lose consciousness but she can't. The prison, her family, is in danger.

But she's sleepy, so sleepy. She tries to roll over but she's all dizzy and can't quite work out how to stand up. But her hand is in Glenn's so she's safe with him, and she can hear him saying something, and pulling on her arm. She goes to sit up but a person enters her line of vision. Beth can't really make coherent thoughts but she's mad because they are blocking her view of the stars.

"Hey...I-I can't" Was all she managed to say before his fist collided with her face and the world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My exams are finally finished!!! I can get back into writing mode. The next chapter will pick up where this chapter started... I hope that makes sense. Thank you so much for reading!


	14. Sing To Me, Sweet Songbrid. Sing the Song of Your Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the rating of this story for the more mature themes in this chapter. It made me pretty uncomfortable to write, so it may have transferred the same when reading it. That being said, please do take care when reading.

"We've been waiting  _so_ long for you, Beth."

The Governor smiles down at her. It makes her stomach roll and all she wants to do is punch him in his teeth.

"Get away." Beth's head is still pounding and the words come out slurred and jumbled. Her cheek throbs with pain, she's guessing the man who hit her did some damage. She tries to calm herself, she notes that there's nothing tying her down, keeping her to this steel bed that she has been left on.

"Now, now, now... Don't be like that. From what I can tell you're the Sweet one." He takes his hand and rubs it down the side of her face, Beth tries to pull away but the dizziness and nausea make it hard to move. "You don't want to go ruining your perfect reputation, do you?" He smiles down at her once more before moving to the other side of the room, sitting on a chair near the door. It's the only other piece of furniture in this room beside the metal cot she's laying on.

"Now, you, and your people, of course, have put my community in quite a predicament. And... I'm not happy about it." His face is dark and serious. Beth wonders what they could have possibly done to him and his community, but she doesn't care. Only one person is on her mind.

"Where-Where is he? Gl-...The man I was with?" He tilts his head at the question, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Ahh, yes. The ' _Man_ ' you were with is in _very_ capable hands. Believe me."

"If you hurt him-"

"You'll what?" He holds his hands out expectantly, waiting for an answer. "It looks like I hold all the cards here, _Beth_." He gets up, taking a turn about the room. Beth's scared and disoriented but she needs to do something to get herself out of here and help Glenn.

"How do you know my name?" Beth tries to discreetly feel her pockets for anything that could remotely be classified as a weapon, but they have changed her clothes. She's in nothing but a hospital gown.

"Well, _Beth_ , I have had some lovely chats with your friend, Andrea, and she has told me some wonderful things about you." Beth tries to keep her composure but the mention of Andrea makes her heart start racing. She forgot Andrea was here, with this man. Who knows what Andrea told him. He walks over to her, lightly touches her wrist. He traces the scar covering it, looking at her with a gleam in his eyes. " _Sorry_ about your Mother, by the way, obviously her death was hard on you."

Beth lunges at him, but she misses and falls to the floor instead. Her legs are unsteady and her head sparks with pain. The Governor grips her arms tight and hoists her up. He bends her over and pushes her face into the steel, cold, metal of the bed. "You ever try anything again, Glenn's dead." He pushes her to the floor and she hears the door open. "Lawrence, just in time. Please escort Beth to her permanent courters. Careful, she's a slippery one."

She looks one last time at the Governor's face, an evil smirk coating his features. Lawrence drags her from the room, pulling Beth to her feet. She's stumbling and tripping over, but he just pulls her along with him, anger covering his posture every time her steps are unsteady.

"I won't hesitate to tase you, Bitch. Now move faster." Beth's mind was racing, she tried to count the number of doors they walked past, the marks on the wall, the lines on the ceiling. But there were no defining features and everything started to blur together. She hoped Glenn was alright. They turned down a corridor and went down some stairs. The floor was dirt and the place smelled of death. She started dry heaving at the overpowering smell. Then Beth heard screaming, screaming she was more than familiar with.

"Glenn! Glenn! I'm here! Glenn!" Beth screams, hoping that wherever Glenn is, he would hear her. Lawrence pushes her through a door and she loses her footing and falls to the floor. Beth feels the skin on her hands and knees scrape at the contact but she doesn't care. Glenn is in trouble.

She bangs on the closed door, tries to rip the handle off, kicks at it, punches it. She tries everything in her power and it's still not enough. Beth's hands are bloody and her voice hoarse with screaming, but she would get out of here no matter what it took.

\---------------------

She doesn't know how long she's been in this room.

It's constantly dark, no windows line the walls. She's traced every wall, looking for an escape route of some kind but nothing turned up. All that keeps her company is the sound of people screaming. She wonders how long it's been.

She's counted six meals in total, but Beth knew she wasn't fed on her first day of being here. Nor the second. At best guess, Beth would average at least one meal a day, two if she was lucky. Although, she could never truly be sure. The days in this room blurred together making it seem like she had been here for months. On the first night being here she would hear Glenn scream, whether that was in pain or otherwise, Beth had no clue.

She hadn't showered, barely had any water and, from the lack of light, Beth had started to lose track of the days as they passed. She had no knowledge of when it could be night or day, and even if it was late, she had tried to keep herself awake. Exhaustion had fully set in.

All she's left with is her thoughts and the screams of other prisoners here. It's not surprising sleep had easily evaded her. She touches her necklace, Beth wishes she could be back at the farm in her Mama's warm embrace. That wish could never happen, no matter how much she wants it to come true. Beth thinks of the people she's missing. The group at the prison would be okay, they would know that both Glenn and Beth were missing by now; its been days or more than a week since the capture. The group would have a plan, an idea, something. They would come for them.

But they can't. Where is Woodbury even located? How would they find it? From what Beth could gather, Glenn and herself were underground. How could they be found? Would they even make it past the gates? Would they be killed on arrival? There were insurmountable outcomes to think about. Things could go drastically wrong for them if they attempted anything, but Beth and Glenn could die if they don't.

She hears the Governor's voice from outside the room. He's screaming, something's wrong.

The door opens, light streaming into the room for the first time in days. Beth's eyes burn, but she can finally see her surroundings... even if it is through squinted eyes. She looks up, her image distorted by blurriness. The Governor's face looks off, an almost wild look on his face. Something has happened to his eye. It's been covered with a patch and blood has soaked through to the other side. Beth notices he has something in his hand. A bag? Beth's eyes still try to adjust to the slew of light that burns her corneas, everything is an unfocused blur.

Blood covers him, some of it still drips from his hand. He reaches into the bag and pulls the object out of it. It's thrown across the room to land just beside her. She didn't register at first what it was, her mind still trying to catch up. But when all the pieces start falling into place, she screams.

Axel's head lays before her, eyes still wide open, yet turned into a walker. It's Axel, they took him. Beth's so dehydrated, yet she's crying, and it starts burning her eyes. They killed Axel.

She has a million questions racing through her mind, but it was doubtful that the Governor would give her satisfactory answers. He bends down before her, he's oddly calm but his eyes don't match his expression. Beth thinks she might just die at his hands. "Your people were here. Rick. Daryl... Maggie." He's punctuating every name, and that must mean they are all dead. He killed her family. "They came looking for you. And Glenn. Yet... here you still are."

"What did you do to them?" Beth asks, a heavyweight setting in her stomach. 

"What did I do?" He asks incredulously. "What did I do? Nothing. Your group was too stupid to even find you. They escaped without their people. I did nothing... But-" He stops trying to pull his features back into focus. She hears a groaning sound behind her. Axel's has been reanimated. The Governor suddenly grabs a fits full of Beth's hair and drags her face towards his, speaking right into her face. 

"They killed her. My baby girl. The one last thing-" He cuts himself off, looking over to Axel. A smile forms on his face. "But then I remembered. I have you. You look so much like... You will come with me. Be my little _pet_. I wonder how they will like that? They failed to save you now, you are _mine_ " He reaches up and puts a hand to her cheek. Beth is horrified. She pulls away from his touch, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. She can't escape him. Before she's even touched the wall behind her, he' stalking towards her.

"Your people!" He says, spitting the words right in her face. He grabs her face, squeezing it in his hand. She grabs his wrist, yanking it from her face, pushing him away from her, but she stumbles and falls to the floor in the process. After days of being in here Beth's weak, too weak to fight. He retaliates by grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her to her feet with it.

"You are _mine_ now." He says, almost with a gleam in his eyes.

"I will _never_ come with you." Beth says, her tone full of determination. All he does is smile in return, a wicked smile that seems to suck all the air from the room. He pulls her along with him, a hold still on her hair, from the room, and down the hall to stop at a door on the right. He pushes her into the door, holding her from behind and angling her face into a peephole in the front.

"Look. Look what will happen if you don't." It's Glenn. She wants to move, squirm out of his hold, but he pushes her firmly in place, face stark against the wooden door. Glenn's is covered in blood, and strapped into a chair. A walker is in the room with him. The fear on his face sets her blood to ice. He's trying to get out, fight back against the walker. Beth thinks he will be able to do it, protect himself.

Beth wants to submit, tell the Governor to take her. But Glenn's got this, she knows he has, and he does. Sticking the walkers own bone in its brain, successfully killing it. Beth smiles. That's her brother-in-law, as strong as she's ever seen. Stronger than she could ever hope to be. They have both been under the same circumstances, yet Glenn still seems to have fire blazing inside of him.

"Release the others. Ready to see what he's really up against?" The Governor's breath is flush against her ear, her arms ache with his grip and she thinks her face might be bleeding from the splintered wood and her previous injuries.

There's a buzz, Beth thinks she might be thrown in with Glenn, yet she remains in the Governor's clutches. A herd of walkers starts pooling into the room, too much for Glenn to handle. He starts to fight them off best he can, using the objects in the room to his advantage, he's got the wood of the chair firmly in his grip, taking the walkers out as they come. But there's too much. Glenn trips and his weapon flies from his hands.

"Say you'll come with me and it all ends. You are the only one who can save Glenn, Beth." He on the floor, searching frantically for the piece of wood, for anything that can be used to stop the oncoming flow. One lunges for him and it sets a lump in Beth's throat. He kicks it away, standing his ground, but there's another one coming from behind, Glenn misses being attacked by a second of luck.

"Stop. Help him!" Beth cries out, she can't watch this any longer. Glenn won't make it.

"Tell me you will come with me, do whatever I say."

"Yes! Please, just help him!" As Beth says the words, she is pulled away from the door. The Governor motions to two of the men behind him and they surge inside and dispose of the walkers. He turns to face her, a dark look on his face.

"You ever try leaving, Glenn will die. Do you understand." Beth hurts, hurts everywhere. Her head, eyes, arms, face. Her heart. She can't even begin to imagine the torture that he will inflict upon her.

"Yes." It's a whisper, yet he hears it none the less. The door of Glenn's room is slammed close once more. She walks over, wondering if she will be stopped, and takes a look inside. Glenn's sitting on the floor, head in his hands, sobbing. It's the best she can do to make sure he's safe.

"I will come with you, but you can't hurt him. You can't torture him. If you let anything happen to him... I wont care what you do to me." The Governor nods and smiles in reply.

"As long as you do _whatever_ I say, we're not going to have a problem, _Beth_."

\---------------------------

He made her have dinner with him. She's not sure what games he was playing but Beth wouldn't eat a single bite, no matter what her stomach was screaming at her. She had to sit there and watch as he ate a hot meal, while she was covered in sweat, grime and blood. The image of Axel's head staring back at her covers all her thoughts. He knew she wouldn't eat anything he put in front of her. She's too terrified to do anything, but Beth is determined not to let it show. She wants him to think she's strong.

He's leading her through his house, men stand guard at the entrance so she can't escape his clutches. She wouldn't anyway, not with Glenn's life hanging in the balance. Beth would never admit it, but the Governor had a stronger hold on her than he realised. They come to a stop at door down the hall. He opens the door to reveal a bathroom, Beth finally might be able to wash the grime off herself.

"Get undressed." She freezes. He still in the room with her.

"Now, Beth." His voice has a dangerous edge to it and Beth doesn't want to argue but she's frozen in place, fear creeping up her spine. What is he going to do with her? "One word from me, my Men will make sure Glenn will be in the worst pain imaginable and it will be your fault. Undress now, Beth."

The mention of Glenn's name kicks her into speed, she undresses, slowly, making sure to take the necklace off and put it gently on top of the hospital gown. She wont look at him. She wouldn't dare glance at him. He makes her stand naked in the room before telling her to get in the bath. Beth feels embarrassed and ashamed.

There is steam slowly rising from the water, a laying of soap coating the top. It is big and deep and she sinks into it. It's so warm. She feels terrible for enjoying the sensation. But she hasn't been clean for weeks now and it feels so good to finally rid herself of the dirt and grime of the room.

He's still there, watching her. Beth knows she needs to conceal her emotions better, to hide whatever she feels deep inside of her. Her head is filled with memories, of her and Daryl cleaning the dishes together, getting to soak her hands in the warm water. Of the prison shower when the generator finally worked. Of when she would wash laundry by hand with Lori. The bath back at the farm, a deep, clawed tub, that she would loved to play with the bubbles when she was younger. Before she can stop herself tears are slowly caressing down her face and falling into the soapy water below, making ripples in the layer of soap that has formed around her. Beth hopes the group is safe.

She notices his hand caress her head, moving her hair to one side, trailing the scar that weaves itself along her body. He follows its path twice over, sending shivers down her spine. She realises that he is going to bathe her. She's never felt more violated in her life.

He lifts a jug and places it into the water along side her legs, filling it will the soapy bath water. Her neck is manoeuvred into his position of choice, exposing the skin of her neck further and making the scar more prominent. The water flows over her body, heating her skin ever so slightly from the coldness that has overcome her while in his presence. He tilts her head forward, sending the next jug of water over her hair and down her back. It takes everything in her power not to move, to fight back. Protect herself from the feeling of his hands over her body. Glenn is her only anchor to placidity.

The feeling of a wash cloth moving over her back startles her ever so briefly, but she tries not to let it show. The less he knows how much terror he places in her heart, the better. It traces the length of her spine multiple times, washes all over her back and shoulders. He keeps a steady hand on her arm, his fingers inches from touching her breast. Every movement that is made etches itself into her memory, tracing outlines of his actions over every good feeling that she has ever experienced. She's pessimistic about ever being free of his clutches.

He moves her hair gently behind her back as if she were delicate and would break with a mere touch. He pushes her slowly down into the water until she is completely submerged. She can see his smudged outline through the water. The first time she's looked at him since she agreed to follow him. She never wants to see his face again. It wouldn't be a bad thing if he drowned her, or if she reached up and pulled him down with her, holding his head under until he finally died. He couldn't do anything further to her.

He lifts her up, water dripping down her face and off the ends of her hair. She thinks she may be crying again. The wash cloth is back, slowly and gently going over her body. It makes Beth sick with every touch. He's not careful about the placement of his hands anymore, growing bolder with ever act of obedience from Beth.

When his hands trail lower down her body, that's when she knows she will never come back from this.

\-----------------------

She's seen Glenn twice.

He hasn't seen her of course, but he's as safe as she can make him and well fed. Beth has been in the Governor's quarters for weeks now, only to be let out to check on Glenn's wellbeing. He's covered in dirt, grime and walker blood but he's safe; and that's the best that Beth can do for him.

She wonders if the others will come again. Maybe they will save them this time. Or at least Glenn. Beth's not sure if she deserves to be saved anymore. Going along with the Governors every whim and demand has taken everything out of her. Beth hasn't spoken aloud since being here. She's sung, forced to sing to him at his very wish, but other than that, she wont say another word.

He loves to brush her hair, almost obsessively. It's the worst part of all. He makes her sit on the floor between his legs while he's on a chair. He makes sure her body is pressed close to his, reciting everything he has done to her, everything he has made her do, through the day. She notes the force of the brush hardens on her scalp as he recalls the moments after her bath when she has to stand fully naked until she is completely dry, his eyes never leaving her body. She's had more baths than she has had meals.

He makes her sleep in the bed next to him, reminding her exactly what will happen if she leaves. She knows it could be worse but he's taken every possible identifying aspect of who she is as a person. He even makes her sing for him. What once was her greatest aspect of enjoyment he's stripped away any meaning of.

The door creaks opens around midday, or what she supposes is midday, he's still hasn't allowed her to know the day or time. He steps into the room, placing another body part in front of her. He likes to do this sometimes. To make sure she knows her place. Today, it's Axel's arm.

"Look at it until I tell you to stop, _Beth_." He uses her name as a weapon against her. Every time it exits his lips, she hates herself just that much more. She glances down at it. Beth has learnt by now to not really look at the body pieces anymore, but around it. At the piece of lint on the table next to it, at the scratches in the wood, or simply just zoning out of the entire experience. She's glad he will never have this true hold on her. Axel didn't deserve this, all he was trying to do was save her, now this is what he gets. She has to look at the person that died for her. Beth thinks it's an appropriate punishment.

"Look at me." She does. The hand still a heavy weight on her mind. How many more pieces of Axel's body will be placed before her until it stops.

He enjoys telling her stories; of her life, the prison, Maggie, Daryl, of her interactions with the people of the prison. Beth thought he received joy by ruining her memories with his interpretation of them. Sometimes he would tell her of what he witnessed himself, instead of events of the day told to him by his men. He had really watched the prison intently. Andrea had also told him personal stuff about the group, but Andrea was fond of Beth, so it would make sense she told the Governor quite a few details about her. Some of the most meaningful and personal moments in her life and he could recite them to her. The Governor told her that he would watch her the most; Beth survived his bullet after all. He knew her deepest secrets and, of her feelings for Daryl. He watched them long enough to know what was going on between the two. He told her that one day he would kill her family in front of her, Daryl first. What Beth didn't say back was that she would kill him before he got the chance.

Today, he's telling her about the self defence lesson at the prison he watched take place. It was one of the first clam moments at the prison after the first incident with the Governor. Beth tunes him out. She didn't want to hear things from his perspective. He wouldn't ruin another good memory.

Beth thinks of Daryl and that night he told her about the stars. The sound of his voice and the comforting weight of his hand on hers. How she had kissed him, heart racing as equally fast as his. She imagines herself back under those stars with him, trying to distance herself from this moment. She does this when he tells her stories, thinking of some of the best memories he couldn't ruin, trying to relive the memory. Sometimes it works.

Most of the time it doesn't.

A knock on the door signals the daily meal interruption, Beth receives at least two 'meals' a day, if they could even be called that. The Governor removes Axel's arm from the table, giving her a smirk, as Lawrence walks through the door, meals in hand. A table cloth is placed over the table by the Governor, he probably wouldn't want to eat where a decapitated arm had laid moments before. Lawrence places the Governor's meal before him, along with a knife and fork. Beth never gets one, it's not like she needs one anyway.

Ever since that first night when she refused to eat her meal in stubbornness, the Governor prepared all her meals as a blended, chunky, mush poured into a mug. What the contents were exactly, Beth had no idea. It always had a sort of rotten smell, like fish, or one time she was certain it contained dirt. Lawrence places the mug before her, a smile plastered on his face, just like every other time, before walking out the door and leaving the two to their respective meals. Beth didn't let Lawrence get under her skin anymore; his actions towards her had become utterly predictable.

"Drink up, _Beth_." The Governor says, looking briefly up from his meal, with just enough time to gage the expression on her face as he says the words. The same words he has said every night since she has been here. Predictable. She steels her expression, just as she does every other time, not giving him anything from her. Beth wonders when he will become disinterested in the games he is playing with her.

Tonight the 'food' smells especially horrible and retched. It looks like blood and smells like dog food. She knows she has to have it. Beth has been torn down at every turn and at this point she doesn't think he could do anything that would destroy her even more. So she drinks it just like he tells her to. It's disgusting in her mouth and she wants to spit it in his face. But she doesn't.

She swallows it like it's a thing she deserves.

\---------------------

Beth is in bed for the night- his bed- she never really sleeps unless it's from pure exhaustion. Staring at the wall, trying to rid her mind of all thoughts of the day, wondering just how long she will be able to keep this up. The last time she felt like this she did something she came back from. Beth doesn't think she would come back from it this time.

The door creaks open, sometimes sleep is easy to pretend, but he always knows. Always knowing how to ruin her one last time for the day, before it starts all over again the next.

The bed dips as he sits down, taking his boots off, before sliding in bed next to her. Sometimes she thinks he wont ask, sometimes she still has hope. But he always does. She shouldn't be surprised, like she realised before, it had become predictable.

The Governor is there beside her, lying down next to her in bed. He moves himself behind her, pressing his body flush against hers. His hand wraps around her, same routine every night. Beth wished she could fight back. She feels his breath hot at her neck, mouth trailing its way up to her ear, speaking the same words she has heard every night since she has been here. " _Andrea_ was right about how well you sing. Sing for me, _Sweet Songbird_." Always using names as weapons against her. His grip tightens on her hand, "I _want_ you to _sing_."

Her breath catches in her throat. He knows so much about her, from watching her at the prison, to what he's been told by Andrea. She has no secrets to keep from him, no private thoughts or moments are hers alone. He knows everything. Beth is nothing anymore.

So she sings.

It is never like the times at the prison singing for entertainment or with her sister. It's nothing like singing Judith to sleep. It is not the songs that Daryl gets to hear.

Her voice is scratchy and she can't stop herself from crying during it. It's hard to find the right lyrics, the right lyrics to send you off to die.

Beth know she will. Die that is. Right here. In this Bed. With him.

So she sings a song to her death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a general idea of how this chapter would go but it really got out of hand. I just started writing and this flowed out of me. I wasn't sure if I was going to post it because the tone is much darker than anything I have ever written and anything that has been in this story so far. But I hope it wasn't too bad. As I said before, some elements did make me really uncomfortable when writing (Bath scene), and I hope it wasn't too bad to read. I made myself really sad with this chapter. Sorry, Beth!! Thank you for reading!!


	15. Trying To Find Solace In A World Of Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strong Violent themes in this chapter, please do take care when reading!!

Lately, Beth only seemed to feel pain. Her entire body ached and her head was non-stop mess of emotion. She couldn't get up from the window ledge she was currently situated near, her cheek throbbed and her jaw ached. Today he hit her, the first time he had laid his hands on her in a violent manner since she had been living in his quarters. The day had started off like any other repetitive torture filled day at Woodbury.

She woke up in bed- _his bed_ \- with the sheets around her ankles from kicking them off in the night with her nightmares, the area beside her finally empty. She knew he was waiting for her to get dressed for the day and meet him in the dining area, where she would be subjected to eating food of the most wretched of quality, while he watched her over his coffee mug for signs of disobedience. Usually, there were none, Beth didn't know why today had to be different.

She had sat down at the table, the Governor mere inches away from her, and picked up the mug that contained her 'breakfast' for the day. She tried to eat (drink) the contents of the mug but today just seemed impossible. With every horrendous meal she had ever had here, Beth would guess that they had been more creative with their ingredients. Beth couldn't even smell the contents of the mug without dry reaching. She couldn't begin to guess what they had given her today.

She had tried, _so hard_ , because she _knew_ \- knew that if she didn't do everything he asked, Glenn would be on the receiving end of his fury. But today she just couldn't do it. The second the contents entered her mouth she threw it up all over the table, and whatever else was already in her stomach. The Governor's fury could not be matched. He had tried to leave, dragging Beth along with him, vomit coating them both, so she could witness the reign of terror that he was about to bring down on Glenn. But she had pleaded, begged, and groveled for it to be her instead. Whatever could be done to Glenn could easily be done to her.

And that is what happened.

After the first hit, she thought he had just been trying to get her to shut up, to make her come quietly along with him. But after the first hit more just kept coming. He had punched her jaw so hard that it had loosened one of Beth's back teeth, her stomach was covered in bruises, and her left eye had swollen so much that she could no longer see from it. At the time, this had seemed the worst that he could do.

It wasn't until he had calmed down slightly, Beth laying a crumpled mess on the floor, blood pooling around her from various injuries now on her body. That he had decided he wasn't done with her. Beth had closed her eyes from the pain so she didn't see him approach, couldn't prepare for the pain she was about to endure. The feeling of a knife tracing the line of her scar made Beth's eyes roll back into her head from the pain and a scream erupt from her throat that had left her voice hoarse even now. Once he was done inflicting the torture on her, he left to continue the day as he always does. She just prayed it wasn't to go torture, Glenn.

Lawrence had come and collected her sometime later, he found her half passed out, face leaving a streaky smear of blood on the window glass. He had been instructed to take her to the infirmary, and, at least from what Beth could tell in her pain-ridden state, he had the decency to look a little disgusted and ashamed.

Beth was sitting in one of the infirmary beds, it was small but soft, and nothing in here smelt even remotely like the Governor. She was on her side, knees pulled to her chest for some semblance of security. The nurse had patched her up and wasn't due back to check on her for quite some time. Her tooth had to be removed to stop any potential infection. She only was allowed a low dose of pain medication. The nurse had told her, guilt covering her features, that the medication was only for those who truly needed it. Beth guesses the Governor had instructed her carefully, making sure Beth could still feel the pain that seemed to cover her whole body. No one was on watch outside her room, the infirmary was empty, save for a few nurses and some other patients. A part of her thought that this would be the perfect time to escape, to rid herself of this mans clutches forever. But what was the point?

He had broken her to a point that she didn't think she would ever be able to return from. Beth felt nothing but pain, she didn't feel hope or happiness. She couldn't recall the last time she had laughed. Smiled. She wasn't even Beth anymore.

She didn't know who she was.

All she had was the routine of obedience in the Governor's presence, to follow every word, every instruction that he gave her; or there would be consequences. Sometimes she just hoped that one day the consequence would be death, that she could finally rid herself of this awful world once and for all. If she could go back in time to that moment-that moment on the farm where she decided to live that set her on this hellish path of despair and torture- she would change her mind. This is what scares her the most.

Chatter from outside her door disturbs her thoughts, she wonders if she has to go back now, back to _him_.

The door to her room opens, and she pretends to be asleep to hopefully buy some more time. She hears a shuffling in the room and cracks an eye open, she can see two guards carrying in a person and placing them on the bed opposite her. They are not here to take her. Yet. A nurse comes in after the guards leave, but she's only there for a few moments, checking over the person and giving them some medication before she leaves as well. The blanket of the hospital bed is pulled up around Beth's shoulders, concealing her from the new patient's line of view. She shifts ever so slightly to see who is now in the room with her.

She notices this patent is tied down to the bed, Beth wonders if the Governor purposely put a dangerous person in the same room as her. He's quiet, almost like he's watching her too, but he hasn't moved since Beth first looked at him. Then he coughs and coughs again. It starts to sound like he is choking on the amount of phlegm that is in his throat. His gasps for air seem violent and desperate, and Beth wonders when someone will come and help him if anyone would come at all. She can't just sit here and let a man choke to death.

Beth throws the covers off herself and starts to make her way over to him. She's not as fast as she would like to be, her shoulder searing with pain and her stomach sore and covered in bruises. She makes way in untying the restraints that held him down, but her shoulder makes it a difficult task and the man is begging her to hurry through his coughing attack. When his arms are finally free, he sits upright, being able to control the movement of phlegm better, instead of choking on it while laying down.

Beth offers him some water from the jug on the bedside table. He takes careful sips, not wanting to force himself into another coughing fit.

"Thank you." She couldn't believe it. That voice, she hadn't looked at him when he arrived and had only concentrated on his restraints when he was coughing. But he was here. Alive. And he didn't know it was Beth who had just helped him.

" _Glenn_." Her voice is unsteady with emotion, she hasn't seen his face but she could tell that voice from anywhere.

His reaction is instant, his face full of disbelief. That disbelief then turns to what only can be described as pure elation. " _Beth_ ," He turns around from where he's sitting hunched over on the bed and grabs Beth by her arms to pull her close, "I can't believe it's you!"

Beth starts to feel overwhelmed, he's too close and she feels like she can't breathe. When he pulled her all she could think about was all the time the Governor had grabbed her, manhandled her. She knows it is different, this is Glenn. Glenn would rather die than hurt her. But her mind is whirling and she can't stop thinking about the Governor.

Glenn has pulled back now and is saying something but Beth can't quite make it out. Her head has a fuzzy haze over it and she can't seem to focus on the words he's saying. He's looking at her with concern she can tell, but she just can't seem to move or function properly.

"Beth, are you okay? Beth?" Her hearing kicks back into gear which sets everything in motion, she can't let Glenn know what has happened to her. She would never let anyone know.

"Yeah...I-I can't believe it's really you." As she says the words a smile breaks out over his face. His lips are chapped which causes blood to run down his chin but he doesn't notice, he's looking at Beth like she's the best thing he has seen in weeks.

"I didn't know where you were, no one would tell me anything. I can't believe you're really here." He stops to clear his voice, it's horse from all the coughing, "When they took us, I woke up in this room strapped to a chair, no idea how I got there. I heard you _scream_ , Beth. But when it stopped I thought..." He trails off, Beth notices he's still covered in blood and smells pretty bad, but his presence ignites a spark of hope that she thought she had lost forever.

"I'm fine, Glenn. I just got moved fro-"

"Whoa, wait. Beth. What happened? Did he do this to you?" She doesn't know what he's talking about, he couldn't know- couldn't possibly figure out from those three words that she was with _him_. She starts panicking again until his hand moves to touch her shoulder and she remembers that she is covered in scars and busies.

"You look pretty bad too, Glenn." He sighs and takes a seat on the bed. She grips his hand tight, the one person she has to tie her to this moment. A spark of hope for a better future. His hand squeezes back just as hard.

"We have to get out of here, Beth." He sounds broken, like her, but with more life in him than she has had in months. They will probably both die here, but Beth wouldn't stop Glenn from trying to escape.

"How?" Her question hangs in the air, moments pass without any decisive answer. They are in a fortified community with their every move being watch, their very actions measured by the psychopath that runs this place.

"I don't know, Beth," Glenn scrubs his hands over his face, annoyance and desperation coating the action, "But we have to try." He's pacing around the room, his anxiety rubbing off on Beth, making her feel like thousands of bugs are crawling under her skin. She feels itchy and dirty and she just wants Glenn to sit down so they can talk things out. She didn't realize how bad she actually felt until she was faced with an actual escape option.

Glenn was here, he could work something out, get them out of this hell. But did she even deserve to be free of this place? This was her punishment; for Axel, for the Governor's daughter, for everyone in this community that died as a result of her people trying to save her. How could she leave?

"-and there's not many guards on that side of the section. I saw it as I was _dragged_ here. But it could work, right? Beth?" His words cut through her thoughts and it startles her. She thinks of all the times this had happened with the Governor, how her mind would trail from the words he was saying and punishment would soon follow.

"We can try, Glenn." Beth didn't hear the plan, but she didn't need too. Getting Glenn out of here to safety was her top priority. "We can try."

\--------------------

There were no windows in the room they were being held in, but Glenn said he was taken in sometime in the morning, judging by a clock he passed on the way in here. Glenn still had a rotten cough and a high fever, but even in his potentially delirious state, he knew how to make an escape plan.

Beth had to put Glenn back in his restraints and hope that the Governor didn't send for her before they could execute their plan. Nightfall was the best time to sneak out because Glenn noticed, from his time in captivity, that the guards were slack on nightshift and usually drunk. There was a small blind spot in the back entrance of the community, which Glenn passed on his way to the infirmary. If they could somehow make their way there and disable whatever, and whomever, got in their way, Glenn would be free. Beth didn't feel the need to add that she would stay behind if anything prevented Glenn's freedom.

Beth was currently in the bed pretending to sleep, the nurse came in hourly intervals to check on them, and they wanted to make this visit as quick as possible to make the escape. Once she had left them, Beth bounded out of bed and released Glenn from his restraints for the tenth time that day.

All they had as weapons were the restraints, Beth wasn't sure if she could actually use them on a person, she didn't think Glenn could either, but it was all they had. She opened the door just a crack. This was the hardest part of the escape, they had no idea what could be waiting on that side of the door.

The hallway was empty. Not a single guard stood watch outside. Beth wondered if this was the Governor's plan all along, to coax her into some sense of security, and rip it out from underneath her just as quickly as it came. But Beth couldn't risk Glenn's only chance on 'What if's', it was now or never.

They made their way down the hall, it was small and cramped and smelt sterile. Their feet quietly padding on the floor even seemed too loud for Beth, any wrong move could leave them dead.

Beth notices another door, a young patient waits inside, laughing along with the nurse and someone else, his mother? It didn't really matter now anyway, the nurse was distracted which made it easier for them to escape.

They reached the end of the hall, the back entrance to the infirmary their only way out. Glenn turned the handle, wary of any potential alarms or dangers. With every passing moment, Beth was put further on edge.

Glenn went first, flattening himself against the wall of the building, concealing him from the moonlight and any potential guards on patrol watch. Beth follow him, making sure that she was discreetly placed so that if anyone attacked them, she would be in the line of fire.

"Beth?" She froze, hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She turned around, Lawrence was behind her. His hand was on the gun at his hip, finger twitching to release it from its holster, then it stopped altogether.

"Go left, follow the path along the back wall, to the back gate. The guards there will be too drunk to even notice you." His voice seems scared, maybe because he's just betrayed the Governor and has seen first hand through Beth what happens when you cross him.

"Why?" It was one word, barely a whisper, but she needed to know. This was the man who had aided in her torture for weeks, even took a sick _glee_ from it, was now _helping_ _her_. Beth was allowed to have her doubts.

"Seeing you like that reminded me of my mom..." He trails off, Beth acutely aware of Glenn at her side. "Go, left, follow the path along the back wall, to the back gate, you'll get out of here." He stops motioning them to leave.

"C'mon, Beth." Glenn starts to pull her along, making his way along the wall, but she had one last thing for Lawrence.

Lowering her voice to a deadly whisper for only him to hear she said, "I will never forgive you, just because you ' _helped_ ' us, doesn't resolve you of your guilt. Your mother would be disgusted." His face falls, he starts stuttering to form some sort of reply, but Beth turns on her heels and leaves him, Glenn has to get out of here.

She starts to follow Glenn, doing exactly what Lawrence said. Maybe it was wrong to say that to him, she thinks. What if he sends for the Governor?

Beth starts to become worried, so worried. She couldn't ignore the churning in her stomach any longer. She heaved over and vomited all over the ground beneath her. She heard Glenn swear and she waved him away. He had to keep on going. She felt light-headed, he had to know that she was gone, he had to have purposely put her with Glenn. What if this was another punishment? What if Glenn's death were mere steps away?

Her head was swimming but the gate was in her line of vision, she could see the exit, the guard's blind spot, barely illuminated by the light of the watchtower. Freedom was within her view. She used the back of her hand to wipe at her mouth, she felt sweaty and clammy, her knees were weak, unsteady on her feet. Glenn was hidden in the shadows of the building walls, she stood next to him, hands on her knees trying to regain her composure.

"You okay, Beth?" His voice was full of concern but also of desperation. They were _so close_ to getting out of here.

"Yeah, ready?" Glenn had to make it, if they messed up even once, they would both be dead.

He nodded, "Let's go." The wall of the building helped hide them in the shadows. Beth could see the guards on duty, machine guns in hand waiting to take out any threats to the community. Glenn had made his way to the end of the wall. The plan was to try and make a break for the gap in the wall without the guards noticing. Beth could tell that they weren't as alert as they should be, due to the alcohol that was being passed around, but that just made it easier for them to escape.

"I'll be right behind you, Glenn. Go." He darted out passed the shadows and over to the wall, the light from the watchtower briefly exposing him to the night. He waited for a moment near the edge of the gate, making sure no one noticed, then he was gone.

Beth couldn't move. Glenn actually made it, he was free. It was so easy, too easy? They didn't even notice. But it didn't matter. This was her chance, she could do it. She deserved it. It wasn't her fault.

She tried to repeat the mantra over and over to make her feet move. But what would her life be like after? She could never wash the horrors of what had happened her off of her.

This was her only shot at life again though, and just like before when she was faced with an impossible choice, she was choosing to live. She started making her way down the wall of the building, just as Glenn did until she reached the corner. The guards had moved over to the side of the gate, still unaware of the hole in the gated exit. If Beth were to leave now, she would be exposed.

But she could run if they would just turn their heads even an inch to the left- Beth suddenly felt a hand clamp around her mouth and drag her back, throwing her into the wall behind her.

"Just where do you think you're going?" A man stood leering down at her, she couldn't make out his face but she would bet her life on the fact that it was one of the Governor's men. "Little _Beth_ , the Governor's favorite. I could have a little fun with you before I give you back." His elbow went to her neck pushing her into the wall so she couldn't move, making it hard to breathe with the force of the pressure.

Beth brought her knee up between his legs but he was quicker. He threw her to the ground face first and was on top of her within seconds. She brought her hand around, it twisting painfully at the uncomfortable angle, and tried to grab a hold of something to hurt him.

Suddenly his full weight was pressed down onto her and she couldn't move. She felt something warm trickle down the back of her neck. She squirmed out from under him, the smell of blood coating her body. She dragged herself along the gravel, the harsh stones tearing her hands and legs, the wound in her shoulder opening at the harsh contact. Her body was shaking making it hard to stand. Beth pressed her face into the ground, feeling something cut her right cheek in the processes. The tightness in her chest had returned.

"Girl, get up. Ya gotta leave now. Girl." The voice was a harsh southern drawl pulling her back into reality. The man helped her to her feet and started pulling her to the exit of the wall where Glenn had escaped moments ago. She could see the body of the man who had attacked her, dead in a pool of his own blood. The man had a knife in his right hand, no- not in his hand. Was it his hand? Like a pirate or something, the details made no sense in Beth's head. Beth couldn't understand what was going on, or who this man was. Why was he helping her escape?

"Go through 'ere. You best wanna get those clothes off, the Biters will be attracted to the smell." Beth couldn't understand, this had to be a trap.

"Why? Why are you helping me?"

"No questions, Girl. Just get yourself out of 'ere!" It could be a trap, It could be a test from the Governor. Glenn is just beyond that wall, so was the rest of her family. She could live again.

"Thank you- Sorry I don't know your name." It seemed like a strange thing to worry about, but this man could be the source of her freedom.

"God, Girl. The name's Merle, now go!"

\---------------------

They haven't stopped running since they left. Since they left that God awful place and never looked back. Beth was certain they were being followed, she was constantly on edge, it felt as if the Governor had followed her, was right behind her with every step that she took. Every time that Glenn said her name the Governor's voice would echo in her head, a reminder of what she will face if he finds them. If _he_ finds her.

Glenn had become sicker on the run, constantly coughing and doubling over in pain. Beth had tried to persuade him to stop, even just for a moment, but they both knew what could be following them.

But they had to stop soon, she was sure they were both dehydrated and Glenn needed some medication fast. Beth had noticed that he was sweating even more than her, probably the result of a high raging fever. She didn't know how much longer he could keep going like this.

The woods that they had kept to dispersed out into a small dead end street. There was a large, modern house at the end of the street, and Beth hoped that she could find some medication for Glenn. She propped Glenn up to lean against the doorframe as she entered the house. A small knife that they found on the body of a dead walker, who's clothing Beth was now wearing, was their only weapon. She does a quick sweep of the lower level of the house checking for danger before she settles Glenn down on one of the couches in the house. He's asleep once his head hits the cushion.

Beth lays down on the other couch, feeling weary herself. The past few days now start to feel dreamlike. How could she have possibly escaped the Governor's clutches? Maybe this was all a dream? Her head was starting to spin from exhaustion and dehydration, but she couldn't go to sleep. Not with Glenn in this state, not with the potential threat of the Governor turning up at this very door. Beth thinks she will never be safe again, not until the Governor is dead. Not until she sees his lifeless body fall dead before her feet. That's when she will sleep peacefully again.

Not a moment sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone who has read this story. Your kudos and reviews mean the world to me, reading your feedback brings a smile to my face every time. So, THANK YOU!!! :)


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